Dual Volume Flush System
The subject matter invention, dual flush system (A) used in toilet reservoirs for large or small volume flush, is comprising the mechanical parts mentioned as, flush valve base (1), flush valve base sealing gasket (2), flush body (3), overflow tube (4), flush lift arm (5), flush valve base support (8), large volume floater (9), small volume floater (10), small volume adjustment rod (11), small volume pool floater (12), retaining ring (14), flush gasket (15), flange (16); and said system (A) is capable of performing a large volume flush when the overflow tube (4) is lifted completely upward, and a small volume flush when the overflow tube (4) is lifted at a shorter distance.
This invention is related to the dual flush system designed for the toilet reservoir, capable of two different flush volumes as an adjustable small volume and a constant large volume.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe decreasing natural resources have resulted in the need to reduce the amount of water used in the closets. Among the methods of fulfilling this need in reservoirs; interruptible flush systems, closets that can function with less than 6 lt of water, and the systems called as dual flushing systems that can perform washing with two different volumes, are used. The opportunity to wash with two different volumes in dual flush systems has made water conservation possible by performing smaller volume washing without using the entire volume of water in the reservoir in case the closet is filled with urine or easily removable pieces such as dust or paper.
A dual flush system is disclosed in the published American patent application US2004/0083542, in prior art. In this system, the upward motion of the overflow tube is provided by means of a cam mechanism pushing overflow tube upward by pulling a wire connected to a group of buttons. In this system, the overflow tube and the button group function together such that the overflow tube cannot perform its function without this special button group. Also, the system contains too many mechanical parts, and it is deduced that their production costs are high due to their structural complexities.
In US2004/0083542, the pool floater used for small volume flush pulls the adjustment rod upward, and forces the movable member, which has protrusions to engage the hooks on the overflow pipe and which is connected to the adjustment rod, to rotate towards the overflow pipe, as long as the reservoir is full of water. In this mechanism, when the water is flushed from reservoir, by means of the weights of the adjustment rod and pool floater, and the force exerted on the moveable member by the overflow tube, the moveable member is disengaged from the overflow tube and overflow tube with its gasket is seated in to the discharge hole.
Main difference of the system disclosed in this application with US2004/0083542, besides the used parts being geometrically in different forms, is that the small volume flush mechanism works in a different way than the one in US2004/0083542. In the system, which is the subject matter invention, the part that pulls down the small volume mechanism and causes the disengagement from the overflow tube is the small volume pool floater that is permanently filled with water. The weight of the pool floater, filled with full of water, helps this system functioning as a more reliable manner.
Additionally, the mentioned system can be connected to the various lifting mechanisms.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTIONThe object of this invention is, to produce a dual flush system; that is easy to assemble, durable, allowing the user to flush the entire or a predetermined volume of water inside the reservoir; and that can be connected to various lifting mechanisms.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONThe mentioned system is indicated in the attached figures and the explanation is here below;
Each of the parts numbered at the figures are indicated here below.
Dual flush system (A),
flush valve base (1),
flush valve base sealing gasket (2),
flush body (3),
overflow tube (4),
flush lift arm (5),
flush valve base support (8),
large volume floater (9),
small volume floater (10),
small volume adjustment rod (11),
small volume pool floater (12),
retaining ring (14),
flush gasket (15),
flange (16),
large volume floater pins (40),
large volume floater middle section surface (41),
large volume floater inner bore surface (42),
large volume floater contact surface (43),
large volume floater upper surface (44),
large volume floater hooks (45),
large volume floater inner space (46),
small volume floater pins (50),
small volume floater middle section surface (51),
small volume floater inner bore surface (52),
small volume floater contact surface (53),
small volume floater upper surface (54),
small volume floater hooks (55),
small volume floater inner space (56),
adjustment rod attachment surface of small volume floater (57),
adjustment rod attachment hooks of small volume floater (58),
upper conical hook (61),
bearing protrusion to flush body (62),
adjustment screw (63),
attachment surface for small volume floater (64),
attachment protrusions for small volume floater (65),
small volume pool floater middle section surface (71),
small volume pool floater inner bore surface (72),
small volume pool floater lower surface (74),
small volume pool floater inner space (76),
small volume pool floater threaded surface (77),
flush body hook (81),
wall support (82),
flush body upper hole (83),
flush body upper hole channel (84),
flush body lower protrusion (85),
adjustment rod attachment hole (86),
floater holes (87),
hook attachment hole (91),
overflow tube guiding rail (92),
large volume hook (93),
small volume hook (94),
ring-gasket seating surface (95).
Dual flush system (A), used for large or small volume flushing in toilet reservoirs, as shown in assembled form in
Large volume floater (9) as shown in
The large volume floater (9) shown in
Small volume floater (10) shown in
The small volume floater (10) shown in
Small volume adjustment rod (11) shown in
The small volume adjustment rod (11) shown in
Small volume pool floater (12) shown in
The small volume pool floater (12) shown in
Flush body (3) shown in
The flush body (3) shown in
Overflow tube (4) shown in
The overflow tube (4) shown in
In the assembly of dual flush system (A), which is the subject matter invention, shown in
As long as there is water in the reservoir, the large volume floater contact surface (43) and the small volume floater contact surface (53) on the large volume floater (9) and the small volume floater (10), respectively, are positioned to lean on the overflow tube (4), and their positions are achieved by hinge points of large volume floater pins (40), and small volume floater pins (50) being pivoted on the floater holes (87) of the flush body (3), and by the air being captured inside the large volume floater inner space (46), and small volume floater inner space (56) by the water inside the reservoir during refill.
By means of another mechanism, not shown in the figures, which is not an object of this invention, discharges the water out of the reservoir as a result of consequent separation and elevation of the flush gasket (15) from flush base (1), when the flush lift arm (5) and the attached overflow tube (4) are lifted up.
When the overflow tube (4) is completely lifted upward, the large volume floater hooks (45) are engaged to the surface below the large volume hook (93) by contacting of the large volume floater hooks (45) with the large volume hook (93) on the overflow tube (4), the overflow tube (4) is hung on the large volume floater (9) in this position.
When the water level reaches the bottom level of the large volume floater (9), the lifting force of water causing the large volume floater (9) to rotate and lean to the overflow tube (4), begins to decrease, and by the weight of the overflow tube (4) the large volume floater (9) is pushed downward and disengaged from the overflow tube (4) by rotating outwards. This results in the detachment of the overflow tube (4) from the large volume floater hooks (45) and the flush gasket (15) seats into its place on the flush valve base (1). The volume of the flushed water is the large volume in between the highest water level in the reservoir and the bottom level of the large volume floater (9).
On the other hand, for small volume flushing, it is required that the overflow tube (4) is lifted upward a shorter distance. When the overflow tube (4) is pulled upward at a certain shorter distance, the small volume floater hooks (55) are engaged to the surface below small volume hook (94) by contacting the small volume floater hooks (55) with small volume hook (94) on the overflow tube (4), the overflow tube (4) is hung on the small volume floater (10) in this position, and at that instant flushing initiates.
When the water level reaches below to the bottom level of the small volume pool floater (12), the weight of the small volume pool floater (12) with full of water is transmitted to the adjustment rod (11), and to the small volume floater (10). As a result, the lifting force of water causing the small volume floater (10) to rotate and lean on the overflow tube (4), begins to decrease, and by the weight of the overflow tube (4) together with the weight of the small volume pool floater (12) with full of water, the small volume floater (10) is pushed downward and disengaged from the overflow tube (4) by rotating outwards. This results in the detachment of the overflow tube (4) from the small volume floater hooks (55) and the flush gasket (15) seats into its place on the flush valve base (1). The volume of the flushed water is the small volume in between the highest water level in the reservoir and the bottom level of the small volume pool floater (12) or slightly its lower level. In order to adjust the amount of small volume flush, the position of the small volume pool floater (12) can be changed upward or downward by means of the threaded surfaces on the small volume adjustment rod (11) and small volume pool floater (12).
As an alternative other than toilet reservoirs, the dual flush system (A) can also be used in various reservoirs with liquid contents.
The invention is not limited to the preferred exemplary embodiment described above. Rather, a multiplicity of modifications and variants are possible, which make use of the underlying inventive concept of the invention and, therefore, likewise fall within the extent of protection.
Claims
1. A dual flush system (A), used for large or small volume flush in toilet reservoirs and being able to be connected to various lifting mechanisms; comprising the flush valve base (1) which is placed to the discharge channel of the toilet reservoir, together with the flush valve base sealing gasket (2) on it, the flush valve base support (8) of which upper part is leaned to a fixed point in the reservoir and which is fixing the position of flush valve base (1), the flange (16) being at top of the flush valve base (1) and inside the flush body (3), the flush body (3) which is connected to the hook attachment parts on the flush valve base (1) via the hooks on it, the overflow tube (4) which has two retaining rings (14) and the flush gasket (15) between them mounted top of each other at its lower part and on which the flush lift arm (5) being attached to its upper part, the large volume floater (9), being inside the flush body (3), of which the large volume floater pins (40) being attached to the floater holes (87) on the flush body (3), the small volume floater (10), the small volume adjustment rod (11), and the small volume pool floater (12); and said system, characterized in that
- said small volume floater (10), formed like thin sectioned hollow body, is positioned inside the flush body (3) being pivotally connected to the floater holes (87) on the flush body (3) via its small volume floater pins (50) near the bottom of the floater (10); and said floater (10) is connected to the lowermost end of small volume adjustment rod (11) from its adjustment rod attachment hooks (58) which are in the form of protrusion mutually facing to each other, at the bottom of the adjustment rod attachment surface of small volume floater (57);
- and said floater (10) is closed at the top and open at the bottom, to provide air being captured inside the small volume floater inner space (56) as long as there is water in the reservoir, to provide the small volume floater contact surface (53) on the small volume floater (10) being leaned to the overflow tube (4), in order to have a proper engagement of the small volume floater hooks (55) and the surface below small volume hook (94) on the overflow tube (4) when the overflow tube (4) being lifted upward for partial flush and to provide overflow tube being stably suspended in the reservoir full of water, until the water level drops down to the bottom level of the small volume pool floater (12),
- said small volume pool floater (12), formed like thin sectioned hollow body, is placed inside the flush body (3) being connected to the small volume adjustment rod (11) via its small volume pool floater threaded surface (77), and said floater (12), is closed at the bottom and open at the top, filled with full of water, providing an additional weight for movement of said rod (11) and the small volume floater (10) downward and disengagement of said floater (10) from the overflow tube (4) by rotating outwards by the weight of the overflow tube (4) together with the weight of the small volume pool floater (12) with full of water, after the water level drops down to the bottom level of the small volume pool floater (12), to move overflow tube downward to close the discharge pipe and to stop the partial flush.
2. A dual flush system (A) according to claim 1, characterized in that small volume floater (10) is shaped as a half-cylinder and containing a hole shaped as a semicircle in the middle where the center of the hole is coincident with longitudinal axis of the cylinder; comprising two small volume floater pins (50) with circular sections, placed on mutually opposite sides, with their axes parallel to this surface and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the small volume floater (10), on the small volume floater middle section surface (51); the small volume floater inner bore surface (52) being in the shape of a semicircle, and the small volume floater contact surface (53), which makes an angle with the small volume floater inner bore surface (52), being placed where the small volume floater inner bore surface (52) intersects the small volume floater upper surface (54); the small volume floater hooks (55) extending perpendicularly outward from the small volume floater middle section surface (51); the small volume floater inner space (56) which is the interior part of the small volume floater (10); the adjustment rod attachment surface of small volume floater (57), shaped as a semicircle or semi-ellipse, which extends downward starting from the small volume floater upper surface (54), and having an opening towards the outside of small volume floater (10); adjustment rod attachment hooks of small volume floater (58) which are in the form of protrusion mutually facing to each other, at the bottom of the adjustment rod attachment surface of small volume floater (57).
3. A dual flush system (A) according to claim 1, characterized in that on the uppermost side of the small volume adjustment rod (11), there exists the upper conical hook (61), which is narrow at the top and enlarging downwards; and the attachment surface for small volume floater (64) which is located where the adjustment screw (63) ends.
4. A dual flush system (A) according to claim 3, characterized in that the small volume adjustment rod (11), inside the flush body (3), is leaned to the surface just below the adjustment rod attachment hole (86) via its bearing protrusion to flush body (62) when the reservoir is full of water; meanwhile, it positioned on the adjustment rod attachment surface of small volume floater (57) on the small volume floater (10) by means of its small volume floater attachment surface (64).
5. A dual flush system (A) according to claim 1, characterized in that small volume pool floater (12) is shaped as a half-cylinder and containing a hole shaped as a semicircle in the middle where the center of the hole is coincident with longitudinal axis of the cylinder; having the small volume pool floater threaded surface (77) which is a threaded cylindrical hole extending from top to bottom inside the small volume pool floater inner space (76); which comprises small volume pool floater middle section surface (71), small volume pool floater inner bore surface (72), small volume pool floater lower surface (74), and small volume pool floater inner space (76).
6. A dual flush system (A) according to claim 1, characterized in that the large volume floater (9) has a body closed at the top and open at the bottom, having the large volume floater contact surface (43) which makes an angle with the large volume floater inner bore surface (42) which is placed where the large volume floater inner bore surface (42) intersects the large volume floater upper surface (44); and having large volume floater hooks (45) extending perpendicularly outward from the large volume floater middle section surface (41).
7. Dual flush system (A), as in any one of the foregoing claims, characterized in that, it can also be used in various reservoirs with liquid contents, as an alternative to the toilet reservoirs.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 20, 2004
Publication Date: Jan 10, 2008
Inventors: Osman Er (Istanbul), Bengusu Yalcin (Istanbul)
Application Number: 11/722,109
International Classification: E03D 1/14 (20060101); E03D 3/12 (20060101);