DE20114681U1 - Flush valve for a toilet cistern - Google Patents

Description

Description G 01 076 KML Electronics

Society for Industrial Controls mbH 53844 Troisdorf

Flush valve for a toilet cistern

The invention relates to a flush valve for a toilet cistern that can be filled with flush water and has an inlet and an outlet for the flush water, comprising a closure element that can be placed sealingly on the outlet and a float that is connected to the closure element and can be immersed in the flush water, which generates a buoyancy force sufficient to lift the closure element off the outlet and can be held against the buoyancy force by means of a holding element in a lower end position in which the closure element closes the outlet and can be released to trigger a flushing process in order to lift the closure element off the outlet.

Such flush valves for toilet cisterns are widely known and are usually equipped with a drive device acting mechanically via an actuating lever or the like in order to initiate emptying of the toilet cistern of the flushing water collected therein for the purpose of flushing the toilet.

A generic flush valve with a mechanical release of the float arrangement prevented from buoyancy is known from DE 197 30 271 C1, which has two floats, one of which can be held magnetically. One of the two floats can be released via an operating lever so that a partial or full flush can be carried out.

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However, the actuation via mechanical levers requires a great deal of force and can only be carried out directly on the toilet cistern, so that neither automated nor, for example, handicapped-accessible activation with little force is possible.
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Furthermore, DE 43 01 415 A1 discloses a sensor-operated, battery-powered flush valve in which a locking solenoid is mounted within a valve housing and can be supplied with electrical energy via a sensor in order to activate the valve device to initiate the flushing process. However, this known flush valve has a complex structure and cannot be easily integrated into conventional toilets with toilet cisterns.

There is nevertheless a need to equip toilets with cisterns for collecting flush water with a flush valve that can be triggered by an electrical switch or sensor instead of a mechanical drive device, for example to carry out automatic toilet flushing and/or to increase ease of use. In particular, there is a need for flush valves that can be triggered with extremely little effort in order to make a toilet equipped with one, for example, accessible for disabled people.

The invention therefore has the object of proposing a flush valve for a toilet cistern, the drive device of which can be operated with only a small amount of force, and can possibly even be operated remotely, in order to enable the flush valve to be operated by nursing staff, for example, when used in a toilet adapted for the disabled.

To solve the problem, the design of a flushing valve according to the features of claim 1 is proposed.

The solution according to the invention consists in that the holding element of the float can be released by means of a coil (6) which can be supplied with an electric current and which acts on the holding element via an induced magnetic field when supplied with an electric current.
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The energy required to lift the closure element from the toilet cistern drain is thus provided by the float arranged in the toilet flush water, which strives to rise in the flush water and thereby lift the closure element from the drain. However, this rise of the float is counteracted by the holding element, which holds the float against the buoyancy force it generates in a position in which the closure element closes the toilet cistern drain. In this position, the float is thus prevented from buoying in the flush water by the holding element.

If a flushing process is to be triggered, the coil is temporarily supplied with an electric current, for example by closing a circuit between a voltage source and the coil via a corresponding sensor or switch, which then releases the holding element. The float is now released and can rise within the flushing water according to its buoyancy and lifts the closure element connected to the float from the drain of the toilet cistern, so that the flushing water can flow out via the now released drain to flush the toilet.

According to a proposal of the invention, the float is equipped with a magnet, preferably a permanent magnet, as a holding element. This magnet interacts magnetically with the coil when the float is in the lower end position, so that it is prevented from rising in the flushing water. To trigger a flushing process, the coil is briefly charged with an electric current, as a result of which the current-carrying coil induces a magnetic field, which corresponds to the magnetic

The field of the magnet forming the holding means is opposite, i.e. a repulsive force is created between the coil and the magnet. This overcomes the magnetic field preventing the float from rising in the flushing water, the float is released and rises in the flushing water, which triggers the flushing process.

As the water level of the flushing water in the toilet cistern drops during the flushing process, the float connected to the closure element also sinks again and the magnetic field of the holding element attached to the float interacts again with the coil which has been switched off again in the meantime, so that ultimately the float is held in a position again after the flushing process has ended in which the closure element seals the drain, so that the toilet cistern can now be filled again with flushing water via the inlet for the next flushing process.

The key feature of the flush valve designed in this way is that no current from the power source is required to maintain the seal on the drain. Instead, the closing element is pressed onto the drain by the water pressure in the cistern and the float is prevented from rising again in the flush water by the holding magnet that interacts with the currentless coil, i.e. adheres to it. By only briefly switching on the current flow through the coil, the electromagnetic field is briefly generated and the float immediately rises in the flush water according to its buoyancy, which triggers the emptying of the toilet cistern by releasing the drain from the closing element.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, a locking pin is provided as a holding element for the float in its lower end position, which can be inserted into a correspondingly designed recess on the float when the float is in the lower end position.

This recess can, for example, be formed integrally in the float or, for example, in the form of an eyelet attached to the float into which the locking pin can be inserted, so that the float is prevented from rising in the flushing water. To trigger a flushing process, the coil is supplied with an electric current and induces a magnetic field which pulls the locking pin, e.g. against the force of a spring, out of its engagement position in the recess of the float and thus releases it.

After the toilet cistern has been emptied, the float sinks back to its lower end position and can be locked again by pushing the locking pin back into its engagement position in the recess of the float.

It has been shown within the scope of the invention that only a small, short-term electrical current is required to release the float from the forcibly held position in which the closure element seals the drain, which can be easily supplied over a longer period of time, for example, by a commercially available 9 V battery that can be attached to the cistern. Due to the low voltage of such a battery, only minimal insulation work is required to ensure the operational reliability of the flush valve, and this battery can also be easily replaced. When a battery is used as a power source, no further electrical installations are required to start up the flush valve according to the invention. However, it is also possible to obtain the electrical energy required to operate the coil from an existing power grid, e.g. using appropriate transformers.

In particular, however, it is possible with the flush valve designed according to the invention to flush the toilet cistern with minimal effort, namely via an electrical switch that briefly activates the coil, for example a push button switch or a sensor, in particular

touch sensor, light barrier, ultrasonic sensor, etc. It is also possible to arrange the switch at a greater distance from the flush valve, so that nursing staff, for example, are able to flush the toilet equipped with the flush valve according to the invention even from a greater distance.

The float is advantageously connected to the closure element via a sliding tube and the sliding tube is guided vertically displaceably in a guide sleeve within the cistern in order to be able to carry out the desired movements of the float and the closure element.

The guide sleeve can simultaneously form a stop for the float rising in the flushing water and limit its upward ascent path within the flushing water. Ascent paths of, for example, 20 to 40 mm have already proven to be sufficient within the scope of the invention.

Advantageously, the float and the closure element are rigidly connected to each other, but it is also possible to provide an articulated connection between the two.

The flush valve according to the invention has a particularly simple structure, so that it is suitable for use in newly installed toilet cisterns, but also allows for the retrofitting of already installed toilet cisterns with a flush valve according to the invention.

Further details and embodiments of the flush valve according to the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings. They show:

Figure 1

in schematic representation a with the inventive
Toilet cistern equipped with a flush valve and filled with flush water,

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Figure 2

the toilet cistern as shown in Figure 1 with the
Flush valve during a flushing process.

Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a toilet cistern 1 for a toilet (not shown in more detail), which can be filled with flushing water up to a water level W via an inlet 7. The toilet cistern has an outlet 10 in its base area, via which the filled flushing water is fed to the toilet, wherein the outlet 10 is closed in the position shown in Figure 1 by means of a closure element 91, so that the flushing water cannot flow out of the toilet cistern 1. The closure element 91 is connected via connecting arms 9, 90 and a sliding tube 3 to a float 4, which is arranged within the flushing water in the cistern 1. The connecting arm 90 and the sliding tube 3 extend parallel to one another and are rigidly connected to one another in a yoke-like manner via the connecting arm 9. The sliding tube 3 is guided vertically displaceably in the direction of arrow A within a guide sleeve 2, which is fastened to the inner wall of the cistern 1 via a holding arm 20.

The float 4, which is located within the flushing water filled into the toilet cistern 1, tends to rise vertically upwards in the direction of the water level W, i.e. in the direction of arrow A, with its buoyancy being large enough to lift the closure element 91 from the outlet 10 of the cistern. In order to prevent the float 4 from rising in this way, the float 4 is equipped on its underside with a permanent magnet 5 which is placed on a coil 6 arranged in the base area of the cistern 1. The permanent magnet 5 interacts magnetically with the coil 6 in such a way that the permanent magnet 5 adheres to the coil 6 in order to prevent the float 4 from rising.

The electromagnet 6 is connected to a battery 62, for example a conventional 9-V block battery, via a circuit 60 with switch 61, but in the rest state shown in Figure 1 the circuit 60 is

open switch 61, i.e. no electric current flows through the coil 6.

If the toilet connected to the toilet cistern 1 is to be flushed, the flushing water filled into the toilet cistern 1 must flow out via the drain 10. For this purpose, the switch 61 integrated in the circuit 60 of the electromagnet 6 is closed briefly so that the coil is supplied with the electrical current from the battery 62, see Figure 2.

As a result of the switching on of the electric current, an induced electromagnetic field is created on the coil 6, through which current now flows. The electric current is applied to the coil 6 in such a way that the induced electromagnetic field is directed opposite to that of the permanent magnet 5, i.e. the coil 6 and the permanent magnet 5 now repel each other. If the permanent magnet, for example, rests on the coil 6 with the north pole side, the coil 6 also induces a magnetic north pole on the side facing the permanent magnet 5.

The float 4 can now rise unhindered in the direction of arrow A by guiding the sliding tube 3 within the guide sleeve 2 until it hits the guide sleeve 2 which forms a stop. The guide sleeve can be arranged, for example, in such a way that it allows a rise in the direction of arrow A of, for example, 25 mm as a stop for the float 4.

In the same way, the closure element 91, which is rigidly connected to the float 4 via the sliding tube 3 and the connecting arms 9, 90, is lifted upwards in the direction of arrow A from the outlet 10 of the toilet cistern 1 and the flushing water filled into the toilet cistern 1 can flow out of the outlet 10 into the toilet (not shown) in accordance with arrows P to carry out a flushing process.

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Shortly after the switch 61 has been closed as described above, it can now be opened again. At the same time, the water level W inside the toilet cistern 1 begins to drop in the direction of arrow A as a result of the flushing water flowing out via the outlet 10, so that the float 4 and, in parallel, the locking element 91 rigidly connected to it also gradually sink vertically downwards in the direction of arrow A until finally the permanent magnet 5 of the float 4 comes to rest on the coil 6 again, at the same time the locking element 91 closes the outlet 10 of the toilet cistern 1 again and the flushing process is completed.

The circuit 60 of the coil 6 is only switched on briefly via the switch 61, and immediately after the float 4 is released to trigger the flushing process, the switch 61 and thus the circuit 60 are opened again, so that the electromagnetic field of the coil 6 also collapses and the float 4 is again magnetically held in the lower end position shown in Figure 1 by means of its permanent magnet 5 when it is lowered onto the coil 6. Since the holding force is provided solely by the permanent magnet 5, no external energy supply is required.

Now, for example controlled by a float switch 8 attached to the toilet cistern 1 in a known manner, the toilet cistern 1 can be refilled with flushing water via the inlet 7 until the maximum water level W is reached again as shown in Figure 1 and another flushing process can be triggered by briefly closing the switch 61 again.

Instead of the switch 61, sensors, for example a light barrier, an ultrasonic sensor, a sensor button, etc. can be provided to trigger the flushing process, just as the switch 61 can be provided at a greater distance from the toilet cistern 1 in order to enable remote triggering.

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solution, which is desirable, for example, in disabled toilets.

An essential feature of the flushing valve explained above is that the actual triggering energy for starting the flushing process is generated via the buoyancy force of the float 4.

The coil 6 for holding the float 4 in a position in which the closure element 91 closes the drain 10 does not necessarily have to be arranged within the area of the toilet cistern 1 that can be filled with water; it is also conceivable to arrange it in the "dry" area of the toilet cistern 1, i.e. outside the water level, at a suitable location.

The flush valve explained above is suitable for use on newly constructed toilet cisterns, and retrofitting is also possible without a great deal of energy supply effort, since the energy required to release the float 4 can be provided by a 9 V battery, for example, with low power consumption.

Instead of a switch 61, a bus-capable control device or a radio-controlled remote switch can also be provided.

Claims (11)

1. Flush valve for a toilet cistern that can be filled with flush water, which has an inlet and an outlet for the flush water, comprising a closure element that can be placed sealingly on the outlet and a float connected to the closure element and immersible in the flush water, which generates a buoyancy force sufficient to lift the closure element off the drain and can be held against the buoyancy force by means of a holding element in a lower end position in which the closure element closes the drain and can be released to trigger a flushing process in order to lift the closure element off the drain, characterized in that the holding element of the float can be released by means of a coil ( 6 ) that can be acted upon by an electric current and acts on the holding element when acted upon by an electric current via an induced magnetic field. 2. Coil according to claim 1, characterized in that the float is designed with a magnet ( 5 ) as a holding element and the magnet ( 5 ) in the lower end position of the float magnetically interacts with the coil ( 6 ) and the magnetic field that can be induced on the coil when electrical current is applied repels the magnet, so that the float can be released and a flushing process can be triggered. 3. Flushing valve according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the float ( 4 ) is equipped with a permanent magnet ( 5 ) which can be placed on the coil ( 6 ) when the closure element ( 91 ) is placed on the outlet ( 10 ). 4. Flushing valve according to claim 1, characterized in that a locking pin is provided as a holding element, which can be inserted into a recess formed on the float ( 4 ) when the float ( 4 ) is in the lower end position and the locking pin can be brought out of engagement with the recess by means of the coil ( 6 ) when the coil is supplied with electrical current, so that the float ( 4 ) can be released and a flushing process can be triggered. 5. Flushing valve according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the coil ( 6 ) is arranged in the bottom region of the cistern ( 1 ). 6. Flushing valve according to claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a battery ( 62 ) is provided as a power source for supplying the coil ( 6 ). 7. Flushing valve according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the current source for energizing the coil ( 6 ) can be switched on and off by means of a switch or a sensor ( 61 ). 8. Flushing valve according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the float ( 4 ) is connected to the closure element ( 91 ) via a sliding tube ( 3 ) and the sliding tube ( 3 ) is guided vertically displaceably within the cistern ( 1 ) in a guide sleeve ( 2 ). 9. Flushing valve according to claim 8, characterized in that the guide sleeve ( 2 ) forms a stop for the float ( 4 ) rising in the flushing water. 10. Flushing valve according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the float ( 4 ) and the closure element ( 91 ) are rigidly connected to one another. 11. Toilet with a toilet cistern that can be filled with flushing water, characterized by the formation of a flush valve arranged in the toilet cistern according to one of claims 1 to 10.