CANISTER FLUSH VALVE

Abstract

A canister flush valve includes a float, an overflow tube and a plurality of adjustment baffles, wherein the hollow cylindrical float is provided with a bottom wall, a plurality of water inlets are defined in the bottom wall, and a top end of the water inlet assumes a tapered form. Moreover, the overflow tube is clamped to the float, a ring plate radially extends from the overflow tube close to the bottom wall, and the overflow tube is provided with a positioning portion. The positioning portion enables the adjustment baffles to be selectively fastened and disposed thereto, thereby enabling changing the distance between the water inlet to the lowest adjustment baffle to vary the flow quantity of flush water flowing into the canister flush valve from the water inlets, and further changing the speed the float sinks in the flush water as well as the speed a valve port closes.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a technology of flush toilet water tank, and more particularly to a canister flush valve structure capable of adjusting the amount of flush water used.

2. Description of the Prior Art

According to the current specifications for flush toilets established by each country, most of the specifications are enacted in the spirit of water saving and environmental protection when flushing the toilet bowl, and as far as possible reduce the amount of flush water used each time. Hence, the majority of existing designs for flushing a toilet bowl use means such as increasing the intensity of the flush water, as well as shortening the time of each flush in order to be in keeping with the spirit of environmental protection, as well as ensuring that the toilet bowl is flushed cleanly each time. Currently, frequently used designs usually use a flush valve assembly installed in the bottom portion of the water tank to execute the flushing process.

The Canister Flush Valve of US patent No. 20070101485A1 discloses a similar structure. Such kinds of flush valve assembly usually use a valve seat fixedly locked to the bottom portion of the water tank. In a normal state, the flush valve assembly blocks the flow channel allowing passage from the bottom portion of the water tank to the toilet bowl, thereby enabling the interior of the water tank to form a space capable of storing clean flush water. When a user operates a flush handle, or presses a flush button, then a canister flush valve on the flush valve assembly is pulled upward, causing it to rise and separate from a valve seat to form a valve port, thereby enabling the flush water within the water tank to flow towards the toilet bowl to execute the flushing function. Moreover, during the latter part of the flushing process, because the water level of the flush water within the water tank continuously drops, thus, the canister flush valve is caused to drop, thereby closing the valve port, after which, the water tank is replenished with water for the next user.

Openings penetrate the bottom portion of the canister flush valve of the aforementioned flush valve assembly, configuration objective of the openings being: when the valve port is opened, and most of the flush water has flowed into the toilet bowl, then a small portion of the flush water can flow into the canister flush valve through the openings, thereby assisting the canister flush valve to sink in the flush water at a faster speed and cause the canister flush valve to close the valve port earlier while the water level of the flush water within the water tank is dropping, thus achieving the objective of reducing the amount of flush water used each time.

In principle, the greater the volume of water flowing into the canister flush valve, the faster the canister flush valve sinks in the flush water, and the deeper the canister flush valve sinks, thereby causing the valve port to close more quickly, and the volume of water will be less for each flushing operation. On the contrary, the smaller the volume of water flowing into the canister flush valve, the slower the valve port will close, and the volume of water will be greater for each flushing operation.

However, the standards established by each country regarding the volume of water used for each flushing operation of the toilet bowl differ, and a design whereby only the openings are used to allow the flush water to flow into the interior of the canister flush valve to change the volume of water used in a flush cycle is difficult to satisfy the standards established by all countries. Hence, there is the need to research and develop other designs to change the turn-off time of the valve port, and further achieve the objective of adjusting and changing the volume of water used in a flush cycle.

Moreover, regarding water tanks of different size specifications, because of the differences in volume of water stored within the water tank, and water level heights affecting the time the canister flush valve closes the valve port, resulting in shortcomings in flexibility of use, thus, the prior art is unable to accommodate different circumstances to flexibly adjust the turn-off time of the valve port. Hence, there is the need to further design a flush valve assembly structure able to facilitate adjusting the volume of water used in a flush cycle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An objective of the present invention lies in providing a canister flush valve for a water tank, which uses changing and adjusting the distance between adjustment baffles and water inlets at a bottom wall to vary the flow quantity of flush water flowing into the canister flush valve, and thereby achieve the effectiveness of adjusting and varying the volume of water used in a flush cycle.

In order to achieve the aforementioned objective, a canister flush valve of the present invention is assembled from a float (outer cylinder), an overflow tube (inner cylinder) and at least one adjustment baffle. The float assumes a hollow cylindrical form, the bottom portion of which is provided with a bottom wall. A plurality of water inlets are defined in the bottom wall, and a top end of each of the water inlets assumes a tapered form. Moreover, the overflow tube is clamped to the float using a detached way, and the overflow tube is provided with a positioning portion close to a section at the bottom wall. The positioning portion enables the adjustment baffles to be selectively fastened and disposed thereto, thereby enabling changing the distance between each of the water inlets to the adjustment baffles or the lowest adjustment baffle.

Changing the distance between each of the water inlets to the lowest adjustment plate enables varying the rate of inflow of flush water entering from the water inlets, and further changes the speed the float sinks in the flush water and the speed the valve port closes, thereby enabling adjustment of the amount of flush water used. Accordingly, the present invention is able to achieve fulfilling the water use standards of different countries, and is applicable for use with water tanks having various different size specifications.

Furthermore, because the canister flush valve of the present invention can effectively adjust the amount of flush water used, thus, the water level within the water tank can be raised, and raising of the water level is used to increase the height difference between the valve port and the water level, thereby enabling increasing the impulsive force of the flush water flushing a toilet bowl, and further achieving improvement in flushing effectiveness.

To enable a further understanding of the objectives and the technological methods of the invention herein, a brief description of the drawings is provided below followed by a detailed description of the preferred embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a flush valve assembly.

FIG. 2 is an assembled sectional view showing the installed state of the flush valve assembly.

FIG. 3 is a partial perspective sectional structural schematic view of a canister flush valve of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional structural schematic view of the canister flush valve of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional schematic view showing assembly of a float and an overflow tube of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional structural schematic view of a fin, a protrusion and a clamp piece according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an operational schematic view of a valve port formed after pulling up the float.

FIG. 8A is a structural schematic view of the present invention not installed with adjustment baffles plates.

FIG. 8B is a structural schematic view of the present invention installed with two strips of adjustment baffles.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring first to FIGS. 1 to 6, which show a structural view of a preferred embodiment showing a canister flush valve structure for a water tank of the present invention, wherein FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a flush valve assembly; FIG. 2 is an assembled sectional view showing the state after the flush valve assembly is installed to a bottom wall of a water tank; FIG. 3 is a partial perspective sectional structural schematic view of the canister flush valve of the present invention; FIG. 4 is a sectional structural schematic view of the canister flush valve of the present invention; FIG. 5 is an assembled sectional schematic view showing a float (outer cylinder) and an overflow tube (inner cylinder) of the present invention; FIG. 6 is a sectional structural schematic view showing a fin, a protrusion and a clamp piece according to the present invention.

The flush valve assembly is fixedly installed in an installation hole 41 of a bottom wall 40 of a common water tank (as shown in FIG. 2), wherein the flush valve assembly is assembled from a valve seat 10 and a canister flush valve 2, the canister flush valve 2 being assembled from a float (outer cylinder) 20, an overflow tube (inner cylinder) 30 and at least one adjustment baffle 35.

The valve seat 10 assumes a cylindrical-like form, and is provided with a longitudinal opening 11, and a bracing 12 extends within the longitudinal opening 11. The bracing 12 of the embodiment assumes a cross-like form, and a guide post 13 is fixedly located on the bracing 12. In addition, a flange (clamping plate) 14 radially extends from the valve seat 10 close to the upper edge thereof, and the valve seat 10 is configured with a section of external thread 15 on an outer edge below the flange 14 and the section of external thread 15 is used to pass through the installation hole 41 of the bottom wall 40 of the water tank. Furthermore, a waterstop gasket 16 is mounted on the outer edge below the flange 14 of the valve seat 10, and the valve seat 10 is screwed tight to a retaining member 17 using the external thread 15 traversing the installation hole 41 of the water tank. Moreover, the valve seat 10 is fixedly locked to the bottom wall 40 of the water tank, and the upper mounted waterstop gasket 16 is tightly clamped between the bottom wall surface of the flange 14 and the corresponding bottom wall 40 of the water tank.

The valve seat 10 laterally connects to a through-connection member 18, and an overflow pipe 19 is uprightly disposed on the through-connection member 18, thereby enabling the overflow pipe 19 to afford passage to the longitudinal opening 11 through the through-connection member 18.

The float 20 assumes a cylindrical form, and is provided with a ring-shaped bottom wall 21, and a float wall 22 upwardly extends from the outer side of the bottom wall 21. The center of the bottom wall 21 is provided with an aperture 23, which enables the guide post 13 to pass therethrough. A plurality of openings 24 are equally spaced in the bottom wall 21, and a raised tube 25 upwardly extends from the bottom wall 21 corresponding with the periphery of each of the openings 24, thereby enabling the top edge of each of the raised tubes 25 to form a water inlet 251. Moreover, a raised arc portion 252 is formed on the inner edge of each of the raised tubes 25 at the area of the water inlet 251, thereby enabling the water inlet 251 to form an upwardly tapered shape, as shown in FIG. 4.

A waterstop gasket 26 is nested in the float 20 at the area of the bottom end of the float wall 22 to enable a normal mutual tight fitting with the top edge of the longitudinal opening 11 of the valve seat 10. Furthermore, a tab 27 extends from the peripheral wall of the float wall 22, and the tab 27 is provided with a hole 271, which enables connecting to a chain or a lever (not shown in the drawings) for the purpose of operational use.

The overflow tube 30 is disposed within the float 20, and the overflow tube 30 is provided with a cylindrical shaped overflow tube wall 31. The internal diameter of the overflow tube wall 31 matches that of the aperture 23, and the bottom end of the overflow tube wall 31 is disposed tight against the aforementioned bottom wall 21, thereby enabling a holding chamber D for containing flush water to be formed between the overflow tube wall 31, the bottom wall 21, and the float wall 22.

The overflow tube wall 31 is provided with a positioning portion close to a section of the bottom wall 21, and the positioning portion comprises a ring plate 32 and a clamping section 311. The ring plate 32 radially extends from the overflow tube wall 31 at an area at a distance from the bottom end of the overflow tube wall 31, and the clamping section 311 extends from the bottom end of the overflow tube wall 31 to the bottom edge area of the ring plate 32. The clamping section 311 enables a different number and/or different thicknesses of adjustment baffles 35 to be mounted and fixedly positioned thereon. Each of the adjustment baffles 35 equally assumes a ring form, and effect a covering above each of the water inlets 251. Accordingly, when the overflow tube 30 is disposed within the float 20, then the distance between each of the adjustment baffles 35 and the water inlets 251 at the top edge of the raised pipe 25 can be adjusted and changed.

In actual practice, apart from changing the number and thickness of the adjustment baffles 35 to adjust and change the distance between the adjustment baffles 35 and the water inlets 251 at the top edge of the raised pipe 25, means can also be adopted whereby the adjustment baffles 35 can be fixed at different height positions on the clamping section 311 to achieve adjusting and changing the distance between the adjustment baffles 35 and the water inlets 251 at the top edge of the raised pipe 25.

Three fins 33 extend equally spaced from the outer edge of the overflow tube wall 31, and the three fins 33 are connected to the ring plate 32. Moreover, the outer edges of the three fins 33 match up with the inner surface of the float wall 22 of the float 20, thereby enabling the overflow tube 30 to be radially located within the float 20. Furthermore, the external diameter of the ring plate 32 is smaller than the internal diameter of the float wall 22, thus providing a gap between the ring plate 32 and the float wall 22 enabling the circulation of water. Protrusions 321 respectively radially extend from the areas where the ring plate 32 adjoins each of the fins 33, and clamp pieces 28 respectively radially extend from the inner edge of the float wall 22 corresponding to each of the protrusions 321, as shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6. The bottom edge of each of the clamp pieces 28 corresponding to one side of each of the protrusions 321 assumes an arc form, and the front edge of each of the protrusions 321 also assumes an arc form, thereby enabling each of the protrusions 321 to be guided to enter the bottom surface of each of the clamp pieces 28. Moreover, the bottom end of the overflow tube wall 31 is disposed tight against the bottom wall 21, thereby axially locating the overflow tube 30 within the float 20, and further insertedly clamping the overflow tube 30 to the float 20.

Furthermore, a plurality of drain openings 34 are spaced in the bottom end of the overflow tube wall 31, thus, when the overflow tube 30 is disposed within the float 20, passages are formed between the overflow tube wall 31 and the bottom wall 21 for water to flow out.

And after the overflow tube 30 is disposed within the float 20, then the overflow tube wall 31 is mounted on the guide post 13, and the inner edge of the overflow tube 30 is appropriately guided and positioned by the guide post 13.

Referring to FIG. 7, which shows an operational schematic view depicting the float of the present invention separated from the top edge of the longitudinal opening of the valve seat and forming a valve port after an upward force has been applied to pull the float upward. When a user pulls a flush handle, or presses a flush button, then the float 20 is upwardly pulled by means of a chain or a lever to cause the waterstop gasket 26 at the bottom portion of the float 20 to separate from the top edge of the longitudinal opening 11 of the valve seat 10 and form the valve port 29. Accordingly, the originally clean flush water stored within the water tank is able to flow down into the toilet bowl for flushing use through the valve port 29 and the longitudinal opening 11 of the valve seat 10. During the initial stage of pulling up the float 20, height of the bottom portion thereof is far lower that the height of the water level of the flush water within the water tank, thus, apart from most of the flush water flowing towards the valve seat 10 through the valve port 29, moreover, a small portion of the flush water will pass through each of the openings 24 at the bottom portion of the float 20 as well as each of the water inlets 251 of the raised tubes 25, and flow into the holding chamber D between the overflow tube wall 31, the bottom wall 21, and the float wall 22.

When the flush water flows into the space of the holding chamber D through each of the water inlets 251, because a suitable distance is provided between the raised tubes 25 and the ring plate 32 or the adjustment baffles 35, thus, water flowing into the holding chamber D through each of the water inlets 251 will be blocked by the ring plate 32 or the adjustment baffles 35, thereby enabling the water to sufficiently follow the raised arc portions 252 and flow all around. Accordingly, speed of the flush water flowing into the holding chamber D can be appropriately adjusted, and further enables adjusting the speed the float 20 sinks in the flush water in the water tank. Furthermore, after the water level of the flush water stored in the holding chamber D is higher than the ring plate 32, then the ring plate 32 is simultaneously provided with the function to block water flow quickly entering each of the water inlets 251.

At the same time the water level of the flush water within the water tank drops, then the float 20 is also caused to fall downward until the water gasket 26 at the bottom portion of the float 20 abuts against the valve seat 10, that is, the valve port 29 is caused to close, whereupon the flush water within the water tank no longer flows into the toilet bowl.

After the float 20 closes the valve port 29, then the flush water stored within the holding chamber D begins to slowly flow into the toilet bowl through the drain openings 34 to replenish the water seal level of the toilet bowl.

Because the overflow tube wall 31 of the overflow tube 30 of the present invention is provided with clamping sections 311 below the ring plate 32 which enable positionally mounting a different number and/or different thicknesses of the adjustment baffles 35, thus, the distance between the water inlets 251 at the top edge of each of the raised tubes 25 and the ring plate 32 or the adjustment baffles 35 can be changed accordingly, thereby adjusting the flow amount entering the holding chamber D through each of the water inlets 251.

Referring to FIG. 8A, which shows a state with the adjustment baffles 35 not yet installed, at which time the distance between the water inlet 251 at the top edge of each of the raised tubes 25 and the ring plate 32 is the largest, that is, obstruction to the flow entering the holding chamber D through each of the water inlets 251 is the smallest. Under such a state, the flow entering the holding chamber D through each of the water inlets 251 is the largest. Accordingly, during the flushing process, the speed the float sinks in the flush water is the fastest, and also the valve port will be closed earlier, thereby reducing the amount of flush water used.

Referring to FIG. 8B, which shows the state after installing two strips of adjustment baffles 35, at which time the distance between the water inlet 251 at the top edge of each of the raised tubes 25 and the adjustment baffles 35 has become very small, that is, obstruction to the flow entering the holding chamber D through each of the water inlets 251 is increased. Under such a state, the flow entering the holding chamber D through each of the water inlets 251 becomes small. Accordingly, during the flushing process, the speed the float sinks in the flush water becomes slow, and also the valve port will be closed at a comparatively later time, thereby increasing the amount of flush water used.

Comparing FIGS. 8A and 8B with FIG. 4, it can be known that installing different numbers of the adjustment baffles 35 changes the speed the float 20 sinks in the flush water as well as the speed the valve port closes, and further regulates the amount of flush water used. It is understood that apart from changing the number of adjustment baffles 35, adjustment baffles of different thicknesses could also be fitted (not shown in the drawings) to additionally adjust the space for the amount of flush water used. Accordingly, the present invention is able to satisfy the standards established by different countries and is able to be configured and used with various types of water tanks having different size specifications.

Furthermore, because the structure of the present invention undoubtedly enables the amount of flush water used to be effectively adjusted, thus, using the toilet water tank of the present invention enables raising the height of the water level within the water tank, and after raising the water level, the structure of the present invention can still be used to control the amount of flush water used. In actual fact, raising the water level can be used to increase the height difference between the valve port and the water level, thereby enabling increasing the impulsive force of the flush water flushing the toilet bowl, and further achieving the effectiveness to improve the flushing operation.

It is of course to be understood that the embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention and that a wide variety of modifications thereto may be effected by persons skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. A canister flush valve, comprising:

a float, said float is of a hollow cylindrical form and is provided with a bottom wall, a plurality of water inlets are defined in said bottom wall, and a top portion of each of the water inlets are of a tapered form;

an overflow tube, said overflow tube is located in said float using a detached way, and said overflow tube is provided with a positioning portion close to a section at said bottom wall; and

at least one adjustment baffle, said adjustment baffles are selectively fastened to said positioning portion of said overflow tube, thereby enabling changing the distance between each of said water inlets to said adjustment baffles or the lowest adjustment baffles.

2. The canister flush valve according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of openings are equally spaced in said bottom wall, and a raised tube upwardly extends from said bottom wall corresponding with the periphery of each of said openings, thereby enabling the top edge of each of said raised tubes to form said water inlet, moreover, a raised arc portion is formed on the inner edge of each of said raised tubes at the area of said water inlet, thereby enabling said water inlet to form said tapered form, and a plurality of drain openings are spaced in the bottom end of said overflow tube.

3. The canister flush valve according to claim 1, wherein a float wall upwardly extends from the outer side of said bottom wall, and said overflow tube is provided with a cylindrical shaped overflow tube wall, the bottom end of said overflow tube wall is disposed tight against said bottom wall, thereby enabling a holding chamber for containing flush water to be formed between said overflow tube wall, said bottom wall, and said float.

4. The canister flush valve according to claim 3, wherein the center of said bottom wall is provided with an aperture and the diameter of said aperture matches the internal diameter of said overflow tube wall.

5. The canister flush valve according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of protrusions radially extend from a ring plate, and a plurality of clamp pieces respectively radially extend from the inner edge of said float corresponding to each of said protrusions, thereby enabling said overflow tube to use said protrusions to respectively insertedly clamp the bottom surface of each of said clamp pieces, moreover, the bottom end of said overflow tube is disposed tight against said bottom wall and said overflow tube is axially located to said float.

6. The canister flush valve according to claim 5, wherein a bottom edge of each of said clamp pieces corresponding to one side of each of said protrusions is of an arc form, and the front edge of each of said protrusions is of an arc form, thereby enabling each of said protrusions to be guided to enter said bottom surface of each of said clamp pieces.

7. The canister flush valve according to claim 1, wherein said positioning portion comprises a ring plate and a clamping section, said ring plate radially extends from said overflow tube, and said clamping section extends from the bottom end of said overflow tube wall to the bottom edge area of said ring plate.

8. The canister flush valve according to claim 7, wherein three fins extend equally spaced from said overflow tube, and the bottom portion of each of said fins is connected to said ring plate, moreover, the outer edge of each of said fins matches up with the inner surface of said float, thereby enabling said overflow tube to be radially located within said float, the external diameter of said ring plate is smaller than the internal diameter of said float wall, thereby providing a gap between said ring plate and said float enabling the circulation of water.

9. The canister flush valve according to claim 8, wherein a plurality of protrusions respectively radially extend from the areas where said ring plate adjoins each of said fins, and a plurality of clamp pieces respectively radially extend from the inner edge of said float corresponding to each of said protrusions, thereby enabling said overflow tube to insertedly clamp the bottom surface of each of said clamp pieces using said protrusions, and each of said clamp pieces abut against said fins to insertedly clamp said overflow tube to within said float.

10. The canister flush valve according to claim 9, wherein a bottom edge of each of said clamp pieces corresponding to one side of each of said protrusions is of an arc form, and the front edge of each of said protrusions also is of an arc form, thereby enabling each of said protrusions to be guided to enter said bottom surface of each of said clamp pieces.

11. The canister flush valve according to claim 1, wherein each of said adjustment baffles is provided with different thicknesses.