WO2016206762A1

WO2016206762A1 - Pneumatic control for a vacuum toilet

Info

Publication number: WO2016206762A1
Application number: PCT/EP2015/064615
Authority: WO
Inventors: Peter Oremek; Matthias Autzen
Original assignee: Evac Gmbh
Priority date: 2015-06-26
Filing date: 2015-06-26
Publication date: 2016-12-29
Also published as: CN107896499A; EP3314063A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a controller for a vacuum toilet, comprising a control unit (100) with an actuating unit with an actuating element to be manually actuated by user. The actuating element has a contact surface (222a) and an actuation surface (211a) of a push-button key (211) opposite the contact surface (222a), said push-button key being spring-loaded in an initial position and being movable out of said initial position into a trigger position by actuating a press button. In the trigger position, the actuation surface (211a) is in contact with the contact surface (222a), and the actuating element is actuated by the push-button key (211).

Description

Pneumatic control for a vacuum toilet

The invention relates to a control device for a vacuum toilet, comprising a control unit with an actuating unit with a manually operable by a user actuator, a distributor valve unit with an air connection and a waste water valve control port and a shut-off valve for interruption or release of a connection between the air connection and the waste water valve control port, and an actuation coupling unit coupling the distribution valve unit to the actuator so that the air connection of the distribution valve unit communicates with the waste water valve control port in a first position of the actuation coupling unit via the shut-off valve and the connection between the air connection of the distribution valve unit and the waste water valve control port in a second position of the actuation coupling unit the shut-off valve is interrupted.

Control devices of this type are used to control the flushing of a vacuum toilet. The process to be controlled by the control unit is to control a waste water valve of such a kind that feces from the toilet into an intermediate container and subsequently be sucked a waste water tank and to control a rinse water valve of such type that the toilet is rinsed with rinse water.

In order to realize these two process steps in a good functionality, it is known to pressurize the intermediate container with a vacuum and to open a waste water valve between the vacuum toilet and this intermediate container to empty the vacuum toilet with a high negative pressure. For this purpose, it is necessary to generate a sufficiently strong vacuum in the intermediate container. The intermediate container is emptied into a waste water tank. In other systems, the vacuum toilet is emptied directly into a waste water tank (central vacuum system).

Furthermore, it is known to carry out the rinsing with a high water pressure in order to achieve a reliable cleaning of the vacuum toilet by the rinsing process. For this purpose, it is known to put water from a flushing water tank by means of a water pump under pressure and to use the water under pressure to rinse. For this purpose, the power supply of the train is used to drive the water pump.

One problem with these controllers is that access to different sources of energy within the train is needed. This requires a planning adaptation of the sanitary area with corresponding supply lines, which is expensive and in many cases does not allow the equipment or retrofitting of vacuum toilets in existing train systems.

Another problem of such control device is an unconscious misuse by the user or even a deliberate manipulation. Both can result in a faulty control. Such incorrect controls either lead to a rinsing process being carried out incompletely and the vacuum toilet being left behind in an unacceptable state for the subsequent user or that the rinsing control of the vacuum toilet is disturbed altogether and that subsequent use is no longer possible. The invention has for its object to provide a control device for a vacuum toilet, which both in the original equipment and the retrofit into existing train systems requires less coverage than known control devices and is robust against incorrect operation. ,

This object is achieved by a control device of the type mentioned, which is characterized in that the actuating element has a contact surface and opposite to the contact surface an actuating surface of a push button is arranged, which is spring loaded in a starting position and from this starting position by pressing a push button in a release position can be moved, in which the actuating surface is in contact with the contact surface and the actuating element is actuated by the push-button.

The control device according to the invention has the advantage that the user has no immediate access to an actuating element of the controller. Instead, an influence of the user acting over two surfaces is provided. The user himself is provided with a push button with which he can make the operation of the control device.

As thereby the first advantage it follows that the control element itself, so the actuator, sufficiently smooth and without significant inertia, which would adversely affect the control process, can be executed, because it does not have the possibly in terms of direction and force inappropriate operating forces of the user to have grown. Instead, a push button is provided which can be mechanically robust enough to cope with the user's unintentional and deliberate inappropriate operating forces. The invention thus achieves an advantageous coupling of sensitive and spontaneously responsive control technology on the one hand and a robust user interface on the other hand. As a second advantage according to the invention, a pressure force transmission is realized by the push-button via a contact surface on the actuating element. This means that although the pushbutton and the actuating element can perform a specific mechanical interaction taking place over the surfaces, they can not have a mechanical coupling that has to be carried out forcibly. In particular, this can be avoided that the user exerts a different force, such as a lateral force or a tensile force on the actuator in addition to the desired push-button operation, if they are detrimental to the control process. In particular, it can be avoided that the user influences or interrupts the control by spontaneously pulling up the pushbutton or sets it in an unfavorable control step and thus disables the entire system.

According to a first preferred embodiment, it is provided that the pushbutton can be moved independently of the actuating device from the release position to the starting position. In this embodiment, the push button, regardless of the actuator from the release position to move back to the starting position, and consequently can be effected via the pushbutton no action on the actuating element in the direction from the release position to the starting position. This reliably avoids premature return movement of the actuating element by the user via the pushbutton. It is to be understood that this embodiment does not exclude that the push button is spring-loaded from the release position is moved back to the starting position and also does not preclude that the push button can be pushed back by the actuator from the release position to the starting position. Decisive for this embodiment, however, is that an active movement of the pushbutton from the release position into the starting position does not inevitably entail movement of the actuating element, in particular does not move the actuating element from the release position to the starting position.

Still further, it is preferable that the push-button includes a housing and a push-button linearly guided in the housing. In this embodiment, a particularly robust and mechanically independent construction of the Pushbutton provided and the linear guide, which may be designed against mishandling, vandalism and the like, provided within a housing for the push button. This housing of the pushbutton may in particular be a separate component, which may for example be inserted into a robust casing of a vacuum toilet or a control box for a vacuum toilet. However, it is also not excluded that this housing is directly attached to a housing of the actuator or to the actuator itself or even integral with the actuator or a housing of the actuator is executed.

According to another preferred embodiment, the control device according to the invention is further developed by a purge control valve connected to the purge control port by means of a purge control pressure line connected to the purge control valve and supplying purge water under purge pressure to the purge control valve, the purge control valve being formed to open upon application of a pressure signal from the Spülsteuerdruckleitung and in the open position to pass the pressurized rinse water to a Spülwasserauslassöffnung. In this embodiment, a particularly efficient control sequence is achieved by flushing water, which is under a sufficient rinse water pressure, is used for flushing the toilet and controlled. For this purpose, a purge control valve is controlled directly from the distribution valve unit via a Spülventilsteuerungsanschluss, which is flushing with rinsing pressure. By controlling this rinse water can be applied with sufficient rinsing pressure directly to the Spülwasserauslassöffnung and this causes a sufficient flushing of the vacuum toilet. The Spülwasserauslassöffnung can be a connecting element, which is connectable to the vacuum toilet and their Spülwasserverteilerrohrnetz or can be an integral opening with a opening into the vacuum toilet or its basin opening.

The control device according to the invention can be further developed by means of a Spülsteuerdruckleitung with a at the Verteilerventil- a flushing water unit having a water supply port and a compressed air port connected by a compressed air line to a compressed air supply port, a compressed air valve unit inserted into the compressed air line between the compressed air supply port and the compressed air port, a scavenge coupling device coupling the compressed air valve unit to the purge control element in that, in a first position of the purge control element, the compressed air valve unit connects the compressed air supply port to the compressed air port and the compressed air valve unit interrupts the connection between the compressed air supply port and the compressed air port in a second position of the purge control element.

On the one hand, the control device according to the invention draws on a uniform energy source in the form of a vacuum or an overpressure, in order to control the control processes of the waste water and of the flushing. Moreover, according to the invention, the rinsing process is carried out by means of an air overpressure and the necessary water pressure in the rinsing water unit is generated with this compressed air. According to the invention, two advantages are thereby achieved which simplify the installation and connection of the control device according to the invention in existing train systems and the replanning of train systems for the use of such a control device over existing systems. On the one hand it is avoided that a separate water pump is needed to generate the necessary overpressure of the rinse water. This eliminates a costly and failure prone component, whereby the control device according to the invention is improved on the one hand in terms of manufacturing costs. On the other hand, the entire process control with the control device according to the invention is controlled by air, which according to the invention a control of the processes by vacuum or air pressure or a combination of vacuum and air pressure and corresponding valve control is to be understood.

The control device according to the invention thereby makes it possible to control the Abwasser Abwasseraugvorgang as well as the flushing of a vacuum toilet completely without the use of an electrical energy source and perform. Instead, the control device according to the invention can be operated solely with an air pressure and a vacuum, it being understood that by appropriate energy converter from a positive air pressure, a vacuum and vice versa can be generated, whereby the operation of the control device according to the invention solely with air pressure or solely with a vacuum can be done.

The control device according to the invention enables a triggering of the rinsing and suction by an actuating element on the actuating unit. This actuator may for example be a hand-to-use push button, as well as this may be a pedal to be operated with the pedal or a pull knob, knob or the like. The actuating element is coupled to a distributor valve unit by means of an actuating coupling unit. The manual actuation of the actuating element therefore causes an actuation of the distributor valve unit. The coupling of the distributor valve unit with the actuating element can take place via the actuating coupling unit by a mechanical coupling, but also a coupling via a compressed air line, vacuum line, a combination thereof or other coupling methods such as magentic coupling. The actuating coupling unit is caused by this coupling with the actuating element to move from a starting position to a first position. The starting position may, for example, be the second position according to the invention in which the distributor valve unit is actuated by the actuation coupling unit such that the air connection and the wastewater valve control connection are not connected to one another. As a result, a positive or negative pressure at the air connection can not be forwarded to the waste water valve control connection. On the other hand, when the actuation coupling unit moves to the first position, use is made between the air connection and the waste water valve control port, thereby relaying an overpressure or underpressure applied to the air connection to the waste water valve control port. The activation of the waste water valve with appropriate extraction from the vacuum toilet is triggered by this. At the same time a purge valve control connection is provided on the distributor valve unit, via which the control of the purge takes place. For this purpose, the flushing valve control connection can be connected in the same way as the wastewater valve control connection and parallel to the distributor valve unit and at the same time be pressurized or vacuumed with this from the air connection when the actuation coupling unit is in the first position. If the purge valve control connection is subjected to an overpressure or underpressure, then this excess or negative pressure is applied to the purge control device via the purge control pressure line and the purge control element is thereby actuated. By this actuation of the Spülsteuerungs- element, the compressed air valve unit is moved from a second to a first position and thereby causes a compressed air supply from a compressed air supply port to the compressed air connection of the rinse water unit. This compressed air thus produces an overpressure in the rinse water, which is located in the rinse water unit and conveys this rinse water for rinsing in the vacuum toilet.

According to a first preferred embodiment, it is provided that the flushing coupling device which couples the flushing control element to the compressed air valve unit comprises a magnet which is mechanically coupled to the flushing control element and in the first position of the flushing control element lifts a compressed air valve body of the compressed air valve unit from a compressed air valve seat. This combination of air actuated movement of the purge control element within the purge coupling means and release of the compressed air valve unit triggered by a magnet achieves a reliable and with a sufficient force reduction sudden activation of the compressed air valve unit, whereby an effective flushing process can be triggered. It is to be understood basically that the magnetic effect can be used to lift the compressed air valve body from the compressed air valve seat, but also the reverse of the compressed air valve body can be pressed by the magnetic effect on the compressed air valve seat and this magnetic sealing effect can be canceled by a movement of the magnet due to the coupling with the Spülsteuerungselement can and thereby the flushing process is triggered. Still further, it is preferred that the compressed air valve assembly include a pneumatic valve body which is biased by a biasing means to a compressed air valve seat and lifted by the purge control element against the biasing means from the compressed air valve seat when the purge control element is moved from the second to the first position. In particular, a reliable sealing of the compressed air supply connection can be achieved by the compressed air connection of the rinsing water unit by means of this pretensioning device, wherein, for example, a magnetic activation can act against this pretensioning device in order to trigger the rinsing process. In the same way, according to the invention, the pretensioning device can also serve inversely to lift the compressed air valve body from the compressed air valve seat when a force closing the compressed air valve, for example a magnetic force, is released.

Still further, it is preferable that the purge control element is mechanically connected to a diaphragm bounding a pressure space, and the pressure space is connected to the purge control valve port by means of the purge control pressure line. By this embodiment, an effective operation of the purge control element is achieved by means of a pressure such as an air pressure or a vacuum. The membrane, which may alternatively be designed as a piston or other pressure-sealing, movable surface, in this case separates the space acted upon by an air pressure or vacuum from a space subjected to a pressure difference, for example a space connected to the environment. The control designed in this way also allows in particular a desired time delay by appropriately throttled compressed air supply or vacuum removal from the thus separated pressure chamber, whereby the rinsing process can be triggered with a time delay after the Abwasserabsaugvorgang.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the control device according to the invention is further developed by a venting valve connected to the compressed air connection. Such a vent valve, which can be designed in particular as a quick exhaust valve, allows the venting of an excess air pressure in the environment when the rinsing process is exhausted. was performed and the rinse water unit is to be refilled by supplying water for a subsequent rinsing process.

Still further, it is preferable that in a first compressed air line section connecting the compressed air valve unit to the bleed valve, there is an orifice through which the first compressed air line section is vented and the bleed valve is configured to move at a predetermined pressure difference between the first compressed air line section and a second compressed air line section. which extends from the vent valve to the compressed air connection of the flushing water unit, and to vent the second compressed air line section via a vent opening. By this arrangement, an initially controlled slow, adjustable by the opening cross section of the aperture venting of the first line section is effected. After a certain period of time, this vent triggers the vent valve, thereby establishing a connection between the second line section and the vent opening. Through this vent the second line section is then quickly vented, causing the air pressure in the rinse water dissipates immediately and the flushing process is thus terminated.

It is particularly preferred if the aperture has a smaller opening cross-section than the vent opening. In this way, on the one hand, a longer period of time defined by the opening cross section of the orifice can be flushed and, after the venting valve is switched off, the pressure in the rinsing water unit can be reduced within a shorter period of time defined by the opening cross section of the vent opening and the rinsing process thereby abruptly terminated.

It is even further preferred if the rinsing water unit is a rinsing water chamber which can be filled with water by means of the water supply connection, a compressed air chamber which can be pressurized with compressed air by means of the compressed air connection, and a movable separating element separating the compressed air chamber from the rinsing water chamber. This embodiment of the rinse water unit allows effective loading of the rinsing water with the compressed air and a transmission of the pressure of the compressed air to the rinse water to an effective rinsing process run with high rinse water pressure. The sealing, movable separating element can in this case be designed as a piston or membrane in order to reliably seal the compressed-air chamber from the rinsing-water chamber.

It is even further preferred if the rinsing water unit is connected to a rinsing water reservoir by a rinsing water supply line and the rinsing water from the rinsing water reservoir is supplied solely by the force of gravity to the rinse water unit. This embodiment makes it possible for the rinsing water to be fed into the rinsing water unit from a rinsing water reservoir, which may for example be arranged in the roof area of a train wagon, and in this way the rinsing water unit is filled. Although the low pressure exerted by this gravity filling is not sufficient for an effective rinsing process, but this disadvantage is technically solved by the application of the rinse water in the rinse water unit with the compressed air and achieved sufficient rinse water pressure for a rinse.

According to a further preferred embodiment, it is provided that the actuation coupling device comprises a time-switching device which switches the distributor valve unit of the actuation unit to the first position a predetermined first period of time after actuation of the actuation element, and a predetermined second time period after actuation of the actuation element the distributor valve unit of the actuation unit into the second Position switches. This time switching device makes it possible to run the suction process and the rinsing process over a certain period of time and to end after this period.

It is particularly preferred if the time switching device is air-driven, in particular vacuum-operated. By an air operation, in particular a vacuum operation, the time switching device is supported solely on compressed air, vacuum or compressed air and vacuum operating mode of the control device according to the invention and allows a complete abandonment of electrical energy. Still further, it is preferable that the distribution valve unit of the control unit has a first valve unit disposed in an air passage path between the air port and the sewer valve port, and a second valve unit disposed in a ventilation path between the surroundings and the sewer valve port. By providing a first and a second valve unit, the waste water suction process and the flushing process can both be triggered and terminated by the distributor valve unit, in which the air connection is connected to the waste water valve control connection and possibly the flushing water valve control connection and these two connections be vented or vented by the second valve unit against the environment and thereby set to ambient pressure to end the Abwasserabsaugvorgang and flushing.

In this case, provision may in particular also be made for both the first valve unit and the second valve unit to be opened by the actuating coupling device. For this purpose, the actuating coupling device can be moved, for example, from the second position, in which the first valve unit is opened, into the first position during the current rinsing process and the wastewater suction process. In this first position, the second valve unit is then opened and the flushing process and the Abwasserabsaugvorgang terminated by ventilation.

Still further, it is preferable that the actuation coupling unit is configured to be reciprocated between the first and second positions by means of a negative pressure and a force acting against the negative pressure. In this embodiment, the actuating coupling unit can be moved by the negative pressure from the first to the second position and be moved back by a force acting against the negative pressure force, such as gravity or a spring force from the second position to the first position when the negative pressure is no longer effective , Likewise, a reverse effect can be realized. Thus, in this embodiment, the actuating coupling unit having a piston which is movable by a vacuum against a spring force and thereby represents the movement of the Betätigungskopplungseinheit which operates the manifold valve unit, in particular brings the first and second valve unit by the piston from the closed to the open position ,

Finally, according to a further preferred embodiment, it is provided that the flushing control element is reciprocated by means of a negative pressure and a force acting against the negative pressure between the first and the second position. In this embodiment, the Spülsteuerungselement is actuated by means of a vacuum, which has the advantage that a vacuum control of both the Spülsteuerungselementes and the sewer valve from the same vacuum is possible. Again, it is possible that the purge control element is moved by the negative pressure from the first to the second position and is moved back by the force acting against the negative pressure from the second position to the first position or vice versa.

Another aspect of the invention is a vacuum toilet assembly comprising: a vacuum toilet having a basin having a drain port and a purging device, a sewage tank in fluid communication with the drain port via a sewer line, a flushing water tank connected to the purging device via a flush water line Fluid connection is a vacuum generator, which is in fluid communication with the waste tank via a vacuum line, which is characterized by a control device of the type described above. The so executed, inventive vacuum toilet assembly is a robust vacuum toilet design, which controls the flushing sequence of the vacuum toilet with a pneumatic control. It should be understood that the rinse water tank of the vacuum toilet assembly is preferably arranged in the direction of gravity above the vacuum toilet, so that the rinse water under gravity influences a sufficient rinse water pressure developed to achieve the rinsing effect. The waste water tank is preferably arranged in the direction of gravity below the vacuum toilet, but can also be arranged at the same level or even above the vacuum toilet due to the vacuum-induced conveyance of the wastewater. Of the Waste tank is placed under vacuum by means of the vacuum generator and can thereby exert a suction effect on the wastewater. It is preferable to pressurize the entire waste water tank with such a vacuum, alternatively, however, an intermediate tank can be subjected to a vacuum and the waste water are first drawn into this sub-tank to then out of this sub-tank, after appropriate switching of shut-off valves in the Feed and drain line to this intermediate tank to carry with an overpressure in the waste water tank. In this case, the waste water tank may have ambient pressure. The vacuum generator can be realized by a built-in vacuum toilet assembly vacuum pump, for example, a working on the Venturi principle vacuum generator, which is acted upon with compressed air. Alternatively, the vacuum generator may also be realized by a vacuum connection of a central vacuum system in one train or the like.

According to a preferred embodiment, it is provided that a water separator is inserted into the vacuum line, in particular a cyclone water separator, with a feed connection, via which the supplied from the waste water tank air-water mixture is supplied in the tangential direction in a circular cross-section deposition chamber, a boundary wall, at the inner surface of which the water separates and runs by gravity to a water outlet at the bottom of the cyclone water separator, and connected to the vacuum generator vacuum connection in the upper part of the cyclone water separator. With this training, it is possible to equip the vacuum toilet assembly with its own vacuum generator and pitch the vacuum generated directly to the waste water tank. The water separator reliably prevents liquid from entering the vacuum generator from the waste water tank. This can be achieved particularly advantageously by the water separator is designed as a cyclone separator and herein the water collects by centrifugal forces of the guided in a vortex water-air mixture on the inner wall of the cyclone, and is fed back therefrom by gravity to the waste water tank. Still further, it is preferable that a sewage check valve is inserted in the sewage line and that the air connection of the control device is in fluid communication with the sewage line between the sewage cutoff valve and the sewage tank. By thus obtained direct connection of the air connection of the control device to the standing under vacuum sewer line, the structure of the vacuum toilet assembly according to the invention is particularly simplified and can be made compact and robust. A direct connection of the control device to the vacuum generator can be omitted in this way and the control device therefore space-saving and easily accessible for maintenance operations in the vacuum toilet itself or in the underfloor area.

It is even further preferred that the control device has a rinse water unit with water supply connection and compressed air connection in the manner described above and is inserted into the rinse water line in such a way that rinse water from the rinse water container is supplied to the control device with a first rinse water pressure and from the control device to the rinse device with a second rinse water pressure , higher rinse water pressure is supplied. This further development of the vacuum toilet assembly according to the invention uses the above-explained further training with a pressure boosting of the rinsing water in the control device by applying pressure from a compressed air source, ie the squeezing out of a rinsing water from a rinsing water unit by means of compressed air, in order to achieve the desired rinse water pressure, even if from the rinse water tank even due to the arrangement of which does not result sufficient for a rinse water pressure.

Alternatively, the vacuum toilet assembly can be further developed by the vacuum toilet has a Spülwasserventil used the Spülwasserleitung and spaced from the control device and the control device is connected to the Spülwasserventil for controlling the flushing process. In this embodiment, the flushing water valve can advantageously be placed directly in the vacuum toilet, so be placed immediately adjacent to the pool and the flushing device. The rinse water valve is then controlled directly from the control device and can thus trigger the rinsing process. sen or stop by the rinsing water related with sufficient rinse water pressure from the rinse water tank flows through the rinse water valve accordingly.

Another aspect of the invention is a method of controlling a vacuum toilet, comprising the steps of: moving an actuating coupling unit from a second to a first position by operating an actuator, actuating a first valve unit by the actuating coupling unit in the first position, connecting an air port to a waste water column activating a purge control element by means of an air pressure at the purge valve control port, activating a compressed air valve by means of the purge control element for passing compressed air from a compressed air supply port to a rinse water pressure vessel, and squeezing out rinse water from the rinse water pressure vessel by means of the compressed air.

The method may be developed by moving the actuation coupling unit and the purge control element by a negative pressure and a force acting against the negative pressure.

The method may be further developed by the actuation coupling unit reaching the first position a predetermined time after actuation of a manually operable actuator from the second position and reaching a third position upon actuation of a manually operable actuator by a user a second valve unit is actuated to ventilate the sewage control port and the purge valve control port against the environment.

Finally, the method may be further developed by limiting the duration of rinse water squeezing by closing the compressed air valve, venting a first compressed air line section extending from the compressed air valve to a closed quick exhaust valve via an orifice, depressurise the quick exhaust valve at a predetermined rate. ten pressure difference between the first compressed air line section and a second compressed air line section extending from the quick exhaust valve to the rinse water pressure vessel opens, and so establishes a connection between the rinse water pressure vessel and a vent, the second compressed air line section is vented through the vent, the vent having a larger opening cross-section as the aperture.

Another aspect of the invention is a method of controlling a vacuum toilet, comprising the steps of: moving an actuation coupling unit from a second to a first position by actuating an actuator, actuating a first valve unit by the actuation coupling unit in the first position, connecting an air port to a sewage nozzle - Rungsanschluss and a Spülventilsteuerungsanschluss means of the first valve unit, activating a Spülsteuerungselementes by means of a lying at the Spülventilsteuerungsanschluss air pressure, wherein the actuating element is actuated by means of a pressure force transmission from an actuating surface of a push button on a contact surface of the actuating element and that the push button is spring-loaded in an initial position and is moved from this initial position by pressing a push button in a release position in which the actuating surface in contact m it is the contact surface and actuates the actuator by the push-button.

The method can be further developed by the pushbutton is moved back independently of the actuator from the release position to the starting position.

The method can be further developed by the pushbutton performs a linear guided movement.

The method may be further developed by actuating a purge control valve from a purge valve control port formed on the spool valve assembly and, under purge pressure, opening a purge control valve from a water supply port connected to the purge control valve. the flushing water is supplied to the purge control valve, passes through it, and a Spülwasserauslassöffnung is passed, and is flushed with the leaking from the Spülwasserauslassöffnung Spülwasser the vacuum toilet.

With regard to these methods and the preferred embodiments of this method, reference is made to the corresponding embodiments of the control device according to the invention, the variants and advantages and modes of operation explained above for this purpose.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will be explained with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a first embodiment of a control device according to the invention in an initial position of the actuating unit,

FIG. 1 a is a detail of FIG. 1 with the actuating unit in the release position,

Figure 2 is a schematic representation of a second embodiment of a control device according to the invention in an initial position of the actuating unit.

FIG. 3 shows a circuit diagram of a first embodiment of a vacuum toilet device according to the invention, and FIG

FIG. 4 shows a circuit diagram of a second embodiment of a vacuum toilet device according to the invention.

The figure shows a control unit 100 which comprises an actuating unit 110, a distributor valve unit 130 and an actuating coupling unit 150. Furthermore, a flush control device 170 is part of the illustrated embodiment of the control device according to the invention. The purge control device 170 drives a purge water unit 190. A power supply of the control device according to the invention via a vacuum port 131 to the distribution valve unit 130. The vacuum connection 131 is via the distribution valve unit in permanent communication with a vacuum chamber 1 1 1 of the actuating unit 1 10. The vacuum chamber 1 1 1 by a sealing element 121, the is arranged on a stamp 120, sealed against an intermediate chamber 1 12 of the actuator.

The punch carries at its upper end a push button 122 which can be depressed by a user. By pressing this push button, the seal between the vacuum chamber 1 1 1 and the intermediate chamber 1 12 is repealed by the sealing member 121 and the vacuum enters via the intermediate chamber 1 12 and a port 1 13 in a vacuum line 151, which the intermediate chamber 1 12 with the Actuation coupling unit 150 connects. This push button is designed so that it can be lowered by the user from a starting position, as shown in Figure 1, in a release position, shown in Fig. 1 a. In the release position, the push button is completely recessed into the housing of the control unit 100 and can no longer be manually grasped and raised by a user. A premature interruption of the rinsing process and improper influence on the rinsing process is thereby prevented. By means of a compression spring 126, the push button is pushed back from the release position to the starting position. The compression spring is supported here on the sealing element 121 and causes an active decoupling of the push button of the punch 120. This allows the punch remain in the lowered release position and is even held there with a small spring force of the spring 126, even if the push button in the Home position returns.

The actuating coupling unit 150 includes a cylinder portion 155 and a piston portion 160. The cylinder portion 155 and the piston portion 160 are connected to each other by means of a resilient plastic bellows 154 such that the piston portion 160 is movable axially of the cylinder portion 155. The vacuum from the intermediate chamber 1 12 is introduced via a nozzle 152 into a tube space 153 in the cylinder portion 155. This causes the piston portion 160 to rise due to a negative pressure occurring within the actuating coupling unit.

On the piston unit 160 of the actuation coupling unit, a trigger finger 161 is arranged laterally. This trigger finger 161 is guided so that it passes during the upward movement of the piston unit 160 to an actuating lever 132 of the distribution valve unit. For this purpose, the actuating lever 132 has an upwardly pivotable finger element 132a, which, after passing through the actuating finger 161, pivots back into the illustrated position.

On the punch 122 of the actuating unit 1 10, a conical sealing surface 123 is formed in the region below the seal 121, which seals against an annular seal 124 when the punch 122 is pressed down. As a result, the vacuum chamber 1 1 1 and the intermediate chamber 1 12 is sealed against an ambient pressure chamber 125. This seal causes a pressure difference within the actuator unit, which causes the plunger 120 is guided back up from a certain operating vacuum in the vacuum chamber 1 1 1. As a result, the vacuum chamber 1 1 1 again sealed against the intermediate chamber 1 12 through the seal 120 by the seal 121 applies to a conical portion of the housing of the actuator unit. At the same time the conical sealing surface 123 is lifted from the annular seal 124, whereby the intermediate chamber is vented with ambient pressure from the ambient pressure chamber 125. The vacuum in the vacuum line 151 thereby breaks down, as a result of which the piston unit 160 drops again from the previously raised position by the force of a compression spring 156.

In the course of this sinking, the speed of which is adjustable over the bore diameter of the nozzle 152, first the actuating lever 132 on the distributor valve unit is triggered by the actuating finger 161. This actuating lever 132 raises a valve 133 from its seat, whereby a vacuum from the vacuum port 131 raises a plunger 134 and the vacuum is paralleled. To a purge valve control port 135 and a sewer valve control port is abandoned.

The vacuum applied to the waste water valve control connection 136 activates the waste water valve (not shown), whereby feces from the vacuum toilet are sucked by means of a negative pressure into a temporary intermediate storage tank and from there discharged into a waste water tank.

The vacuum applied to the purge valve control port 135 is conducted via a vacuum line 171 into a vacuum annulus 172 of the purge control device 170. The purge control device 170 has a piston unit 180 and a cylinder unit 173. The piston unit 180 is connected to the cylinder unit via an elastic bellows 174, which seals the annular space 172 and can follow a movement of the piston unit 180. The figure shows the piston unit 180 in a raised position. At the lower end of the piston unit 180, a magnet 181 is arranged. Due to the voltage applied in the annular space 172 vacuum from the Spülventilsteuerungsanschluss the piston unit 180 is moved together with the magnet 181 down. The magnet 181 thereby pulls up a compressed air valve body 182. In this raised position, the compressed air valve body 182 releases a compressed air path from a compressed air supply connection 183 to a compressed air connection 191 of the rinsing water unit 190.

The rinse water unit 190 includes a housing 192 having an upper rinse water inlet opening 193 and a lower rinse water discharge opening 194. By the upper Spülwassereinlassöffnung 193 rinse water from a rinse water reservoir 195 is fed gravitationally. The rinse water collects in the lower part of the rinse water unit and raises a buoyant piston 196.

A closure lever 197 with closure element 197a arranged in the region of the rinse water inlet opening 192 is lifted by the piston 196 at a predetermined maximum level of the rinse water within the rinse water unit 190 and closes the rinse water inlet opening 192. If compressed air is supplied to the rinsing water unit 190 via the compressed air connection 191, this compressed air flows into a compressed air space 199 and pushes the compressed air down the piston 196, thereby pressing the rinse water in a rinsing water space 198 through the rinsing water outlet opening 193, whereby the rinsing process is carried out ,

Upon further lowering of the actuating finger 161 in the course of ventilation of the actuating coupling unit 150 via the nozzle 152, the actuating finger on the one hand releases the actuating lever 132, whereby the valve 133 returns to the closed position by gravity and / or spring projection. Following this, the actuating finger 161 triggers a further actuating lever 137, which opens a ventilation valve 138. As a result, the waste water valve control port 136 and the purge valve control port 135 are vented to ambient pressure, and the vacuum collapses at that point. By this release of the negative pressure, the Abwasserabsaugvorgang is terminated within the Abwasserabsaugvorrichtung. At the same time the annular space 172 is vented, whereupon the piston unit 180 returns by the spring force of a spring 175 in its illustrated, upper position and the magnetic effect between the magnet and the compressed air valve body 182 cancels. As a result, the compressed-air valve body 182 is pressed back into the closed position by means of a compression spring 184 and interrupts the compressed-air supply from the compressed-air supply connection 183 to the compressed-air connection 191.

In a compressed air line 186a, b, via which the compressed air from the compressed air supply port 183 is passed to the compressed air port 191, a quick exhaust valve 185 is used. The quick exhaust valve 185 initially locks after the compressed air valve body 182 has closed. A baffle 187, which is inserted in a line section 186a between the compressed air valve body 182 and the quick exhaust valve 185, allows a reduction of the overpressure in the line section 186a. This creates a pressure difference between the conduit section 186a and a conduit section 186b extending from the quick exhaust valve 185 to the compressed air port 191. This compressed air difference causes a changeover of the quick exhaust valve, whereby the line section 186b via a vent opening 188 on the Quick exhaust valve is vented. This venting causes a rapid pressure reduction within the line section 186b and the rinse water unit 190 and thus terminates the rinsing process. After venting a re-filling with rinse water from the rinse water tank 195 is possible. As a result of the size of the orifice 185, this can influence the amount of rinsing water that is released from the rinsing water unit during a rinsing process.

Fig. 2 shows a second embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the control unit 110, the actuation coupling unit 150, and the manifold valve unit 130 according to the first embodiment of FIG. 1 are implemented with a difference existing in the control unit 110, which will be explained below.

The upper end of the punch 120 is executed in the illustrated control unit as a contact element 222 with a contact surface 222 a at the upwardly facing end. Opposite to this contact surface 222a and above the control unit 1 10, a separately executed push-button element 200 is arranged. The push-button element 200 comprises a push-button housing

210 with a linearly guided therein push-button 21 1. The push-button 21 1 has at its lower end an actuating surface 21 1 a, which is arranged opposite to the contact surface 222 a. The push-button 21 1 is pressed by a compression spring, which is supported on a shoulder on the push-button on the one hand and the push-button housing 210 on the other hand, in the starting position.

At the upper end of the push button 21 1 projects out of the push-button housing 210 and can be operated by a user, that is pressed down, be. The push button transmits this actuation movement via the actuating surface 21 1 a on the contact surface 222 a and thereby pushes down the push button 222 at the upper end of the punch 120. Immediately after the user no longer exerts force on the push button 21 1, the push button

21 1 pushed back by the spring 212 in the starting position. This return movement has no influence on the punch 120 and the push-button 222 on the upper end of the punch 120. The punch 120 and the push-button 222 can NEN move regardless of the push button movement at a later time back up, and this ensures that the flushing process can run through the control unit 1 10 regardless of any influences on the pushbutton 21 1 in the desired manner.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 2, the purge valve control connection 135 is connected directly to a purge control valve 300 via a vacuum line 171. Through the vacuum applied to the purge valve control port 135, the purge control valve 300 is controlled or opened. The purge control valve 300 is the input side 301 rinse water with a rinse water pressure, which is sufficient to produce a direct flushing and sufficient rinsing action in the basin of a vacuum toilet. On the output side, the purge control valve 300 is connected to a rinse water distributor 302, which allows the rinse water to flow into the basin of a vacuum toilet via four rinse water outlet openings.

3 shows a first embodiment of a vacuum toilet arrangement according to the invention. From a fresh water tank 1 rinse water is passed through a flushing water line 2 to a vacuum toilet 3. In the vacuum toilet this rinse water is released or blocked via a rinse water valve 3a. The rinse water valve 3a is controlled by a pneumatic control unit 5 by means of a pneumatic line 4.

The pneumatic control unit 5 may be designed in the manner of a control device of the type described above.

The control unit 5 is connected by means of a vacuum line 6 to a sewer line 7, which drains waste water from the vacuum toilet 3 into a waste water tank 8. The vacuum line 6 opens into the sewer line 7 between the waste water tank 8 and a sewer valve 3b, which is arranged in the vacuum toilet 3. The waste water valve 3b is also controlled by the control unit 5 by means of a pneumatic control line 9. The waste water tank 8 is connected by means of a vacuum line 10 with a vacuum generator 1 1. Between the vacuum generator 1 1 and the waste water tank 8, a cyclone separator 12 is inserted into the vacuum line 10, which separates any entrained from the waste water tank 8 wastewater. This separated wastewater is collected in a collecting tank 13.

In principle, the vacuum toilet device shown in FIG. 3 has only one electrical line 20, which connects two level sensors 21, 22 in the waste water tank to a connection box 23, in order to enable a detection of the fill level in the waste water tank. Furthermore, electrical signal lines 23, 24 are connected to the connection box. The signal line 23 connects a vacuum sensor 25 to the junction box. The current via the signal line 23 signal of the vacuum sensor 25 is processed in the junction box 26 and used to control the vacuum generator 1 1 via the control line 24. In this way, a constant negative pressure in the waste water tank 8 is maintained.

Any further control operations of the vacuum toilet apparatus shown in Fig. 3 are carried out exclusively via pneumatic lines and control operations.

The embodiment of the vacuum toilet device according to the invention shown in FIG. 3 furthermore has a compressed air supply 30. The compressed air is supplied to the control device 5 and serves to pressurize a rinse water pressure tank 3c in the vacuum toilet. In the embodiment according to FIG. 3, therefore, the rinsing water does not have to be supplied to the vacuum toilet with a sufficient rinsing water pressure, so that the fresh water tank 1 can be arranged as much as desired and in only a small height above the vacuum toilet. In the vacuum toilet, the rinsing water in the intermediate pressure tank 3c is pressurized by the compressed air and discharged at a sufficient rinsing water pressure.

Fig. 4 shows an alternative embodiment of a vacuum toilet apparatus according to the invention. The vacuum toilet device according to FIG. 4 is visible. borrowed from the waste water tank 58, the vacuum generator 61 with Zyklonabscheider 62 according to the embodiment of Figure 3 executed.

Notwithstanding the embodiment according to FIG. 3, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, however, the flushing water line 52 is not supplied directly from the fresh water tank 51 to the vacuum toilet 53 and is not pressurized by means of compressed air in a rinse water pressure vessel located inside the vacuum toilet 53. Instead, the rinse water from the rinsing water tank 51 via the flushing water line 52 is fed directly to the control device 55 and is connected to the compressed air connection, which is acted upon in the embodiment of FIG. 3 with compressed air. In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the rinse water is already present in the rinse water line 52 with a sufficient rinse water pressure, which is effected by a water pump assembly 52 a, which is inserted into the rinse water line 52 between the fresh water tank 51 and the control device 55. The rinsing water pressure device 52a has an electrically driven pressure pump which sets the rinse water under an overpressure by means of a pressure switch and the rinse water thus under overpressure is supplied to the control device 55.

From the control device 55, this pressurized rinse water is supplied directly by means of the rinse water line 54 of the vacuum toilet 53 and provides the rinsing process, which can be controlled by the control device 55. The embodiment of the vacuum toilet device according to FIG. 4 can therefore be operated with the embodiment of the control device shown in FIG.

Claims

claims

1. Control device for a vacuum toilet, comprising

A control unit (1 10) with

o an actuator unit with a manually operable by a user actuator (122) o a distributor valve unit (130) with an air connection (131) and a waste water valve connection (136) and a shut-off valve (133) for interrupting or releasing a connection between the air connection and Abwasserventilsteue- connection, and

o an actuation coupling unit (150) which couples the manifold valve unit to the actuator such that the air port of the manifold valve unit communicates with the sewage valve control port in a first position of the actuation coupling unit via the shutoff valve;

the connection between the air connection of the distributor valve unit and the waste water valve control connection is interrupted by the shut-off valve in a second position of the activation coupling unit,

characterized in that

the actuating element has a contact surface and opposite to the contact surface an actuating surface of a push button is arranged, which is spring loaded in a starting position and can be moved from this starting position by pressing the push button in a release position in which the actuating surface is in contact with the contact surface and the Actuator is actuated by the push-button.

2. Control device according to claim 1, characterized in that the pushbutton is movable independently of the actuating device from the release position to the starting position.

Control device according to claim 1 or 2,

characterized in that the pushbutton comprises a housing and a linearly guided in the housing Drucktastelement.

Control device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a flushing control valve (170), which is connected to a flushing valve control connection (135) formed on the distributor valve unit by means of a flushing control pressure line,

a water supply port connected to the purge control valve and supplying rinse water under purge pressure to the purge control valve, the purge control valve being configured to open upon application of a pressure signal from the purge control pressure line and to pass the pressurized purge water to a purge water outlet port in the open position.

Control device according to one of the preceding claims 1-3, characterized by

a purge control means (170) connected to a purge valve control port (135) formed on the distribution valve unit by means of a purge control pressure line (171) having a purge control element (180);

a purge water unit (190) having a water supply port (192) and a compressed air port (191) connected to a compressed air supply port by a compressed air line (186a, b); a compressed air valve unit (182) inserted in the compressed air line between the compressed air supply port and the compressed air port; a purge coupling device (181) which couples the compressed air valve unit to the purge control element such that

the compressed air valve unit connects the compressed air supply connection to the compressed air connection in a first position of the flushing control element and

the compressed-air valve unit interrupts the connection between the compressed-air supply connection and the compressed-air connection in a second position of the flushing control element.

Control device according to claim 5,

characterized in that the purge control element (180) coupled to the compressed air valve unit (182) comprises a solenoid (181) mechanically coupled to the purge control element which in the first position of the purge control element lifts a compressed air valve body of the compressed air valve unit from a compressed air valve seat.

Control device according to claim 5 or 6,

characterized in that the compressed air valve unit comprises an air valve body (182) which is urged by a biasing means (184) onto a pneumatic valve seat and lifted from the pneumatic valve seat by the purge control member against the biasing means when the purge control member is moved from the second to the first position ,

Control device according to one of the preceding claims 5-7, characterized in that the Spülsteuerungselement (180) with a pressure chamber (172) limiting diaphragm (174) is mechanically connected and the pressure chamber is connected by means of the purge control pressure line with the Spülsteuerventilanschluss.

Control device according to one of the preceding claims 5-8, characterized by a venting valve (185) in communication with the compressed air connection.

10. Control device according to claim 9,

characterized in that in a first compressed air line section (186a) connecting the compressed air valve unit to the bleed valve there is an orifice (187) through which the first compressed air line section is vented and wherein the bleed valve (185) is arranged to move at a predetermined pressure difference between the first Compressed air line section and a second compressed air line section (186b) extending from the vent valve to the compressed air port of the

Rinse water unit extends, and to vent the second compressed air line section via a vent opening (188).

1 1. A control device according to claim 10,

characterized in that the aperture has a smaller opening cross-section than the vent opening.

12. Control device according to one of the preceding claims 5-1 1, characterized in that the rinse water unit

a flushing water chamber (198) which can be filled with water by means of the water supply connection,

- A pressurized by means of the compressed air connection with compressed air

Compressed air chamber (199), and

a movable separating element (196) separating the compressed air chamber from the flushing water chamber.

includes. 13. Control device according to one of the preceding claims 5-12, characterized in that the rinsing water unit with a Spülwasservorratsbehälter (195) connected by a flushing water supply line. is the and the rinse water from the rinse water reservoir is fed solely by gravity into the water supply port of the rinse water unit.

Control device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the actuating coupling device (150) comprises a timing device (152, 160) which

a predetermined first period of time after actuation of the actuating element switches the distributor valve unit of the actuating unit in the first position, and.

a predetermined second period of time after actuation of the actuating element, the distributor valve unit of the actuating unit switches to the second position.

Control device according to claim 14,

characterized in that the time switching device is air operated, in particular vacuum operated.

Control device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the distributor valve unit of the control unit

a first valve unit (133) disposed in an air passage path between the air port and the sewer valve port, and

a second valve unit (138) disposed in a ventilation path between the environment and the sewer valve port,

having

17. Control device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the actuation coupling unit is adapted to be reciprocated between the first and second positions by means of a negative pressure and a force acting against the negative pressure.

18. Control device according to one of the preceding claims,

characterized in that the purge control element is reciprocated by means of a negative pressure and a force acting against the negative pressure between the first and the second position.

Vacuum toilet assembly comprising:

A vacuum toilet with a basin having a drain opening and a flushing device,

A waste water tank in fluid communication with the drainage opening via a sewer pipe;

A flushing water tank in fluid communication with the flushing device via a flushing water line,

A vacuum generator in fluid communication with the waste tank via a vacuum line,

characterized by a control device according to one of the preceding claims.

20. Vacuum toilet arrangement according to claim 19,

characterized in that a water separator is inserted into the vacuum line, in particular a cyclone water separator, with

a feed connection, via which the air-water mixture supplied from the waste water tank is fed in a tangential direction into a deposition chamber of circular cross-section,

a boundary wall, on whose inner surface the water separates and runs by gravity to a water drain at the lower end of the cyclone water separator, and a connected to the vacuum generator vacuum port in the upper part of the cyclone water separator.

21. Vacuum toilet arrangement according to claim 19 or 20,

characterized in that in the sewer line, a wastewater barrier valve is used and that the air connection of the control device is in fluid communication with the sewer line between the seepage valve and the waste water tank.

22. Vacuum toilet arrangement according to one of the preceding claims 19 to 21,

characterized in that the control device according to one of

Claims 5-12 is formed and is inserted into the Spülwasserleitung such that from the rinsing water tank rinse water of the control device is supplied with a first rinse water pressure and is fed from the control device of the rinsing device with a second, higher rinse water pressure.

23. Vacuum toilet arrangement according to one of the preceding claims 19 to 21,

characterized in that the vacuum toilet has a rinse water valve inserted into the rinse water line and spaced from the control device, and the control device is connected to the rinse water valve for controlling rinse operation.

24. Method for controlling a vacuum toilet, comprising the steps of:

Moving an actuating coupling unit from a second to a first position by actuating an actuating element, actuating a first valve unit by the actuating coupling unit in the first position, Connecting an air connection with a wastewater control connection and a flushing valve control connection by means of the first valve unit,

Activating a purge control element by means of an air pressure at the purge valve control port,

characterized in that the actuating element is actuated by means of a pressure force transmission from an actuating surface of a push button on a contact surface of the actuating element and that the push button is spring loaded in a starting position and is moved from this starting position by pressing a push button in a release position in which the actuating surface in contact is with the contact surface and the actuator is actuated by the push-button.

Method according to claim 24,

characterized in that the pushbutton is moved back independently of the actuating device from the release position to the starting position.

A method according to claim 24 or 25,

characterized in that the pushbutton performs a linear guided movement.

Method according to one of the preceding claims 24-26,

characterized in that a purge control valve (170) is actuated from a purge valve control port (135) formed on the spool valve unit, and

upon opening the purge control valve from a water supply port connected to the purge control valve, purge water under purge pressure is supplied to the purge control valve, passes therethrough, and is passed to a purge water outlet port, and the vacuum toilet is rinsed with the rinse water leaving the rinse water outlet opening.