U.S. patent application number 10/872475 was filed with the patent office on 2005-12-22 for toilet tank automatic flush apparatus.
Invention is credited to Yen, Chih-Chen.
Application Number | 20050278842 10/872475 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35478986 |
Filed Date | 2005-12-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050278842 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Yen, Chih-Chen |
December 22, 2005 |
Toilet tank automatic flush apparatus
Abstract
A toilet tank automatic flush apparatus includes a detection
module located outside the toilet water tank, a solenoid valve
module and a flush module. The solenoid valve module is located
outside the water tank and connected to a water supply head, and is
controlled by signals from the detection module to activate a
solenoid valve switch to channel water from the water supply head
into a hydraulic cylinder of the flush module through a tube to
generate a hydraulic pressure to push a hydraulic arm upwards to
lift a rocker arm. The rocker arm has a distal end fastening to a
rope to connect and open a water discharge valve so that water in
the water tank may be flushed into the toilet in a large quantity.
The solenoid valve switch stops water supply after a preset time
period. A spring located in the hydraulic cylinder pushes the
hydraulic arm and the rocker arm downwards to release the rope so
that the water discharge valve may be closed and water may flow
into the water tank again.
Inventors: |
Yen, Chih-Chen; (Taipei
City, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BIRCH STEWART KOLASCH & BIRCH
PO BOX 747
FALLS CHURCH
VA
22040-0747
US
|
Family ID: |
35478986 |
Appl. No.: |
10/872475 |
Filed: |
June 22, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
4/406 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E03D 5/10 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
004/406 |
International
Class: |
E03D 005/10 |
Claims
1. A toilet tank automatic flush apparatus comprising a detection
module to detect user's use conditions and emit a control signal, a
solenoid valve module to receive the control signal to activate
hydraulic operation, and a flush module hydraulically controlled by
the detection module to execute flushing; wherein: the detection
module is installed outside a toilet water tank on a location
sensible to users; the solenoid valve module is located outside the
water tank including a solenoid valve switch which has an input end
connecting to a water supply head and a signal receiver; and the
flush module is located in the water tank including a upright post
and a hydraulic cylinder mounting on one side the post for housing
a hydraulic arm, the hydraulic arm having a top end running through
a spring to pivotally couple with a rocker arm, the rocker arm
having a distal end fastened to a rope which connects to a water
discharge valve of the water tank, the hydraulic cylinder having a
bottom end connecting to an output end of the solenoid valve
switch.
2. The toilet tank automatic flush apparatus of claim 1, wherein
the water supply head connected to the input end of the solenoid
valve switch is also the water supply head of the water tank.
3. The toilet tank automatic flush apparatus of claim 2, wherein
the water supply head connected to the input end of the solenoid
valve switch is coupled to a three-way duct to connect to the
solenoid valve switch and the water tank to channel water
simultaneously.
4. The toilet tank automatic flush apparatus of claim 1, wherein
the water supply head connected to the input end of the solenoid
valve switch differs from the water supply head of the water
tank.
5. The toilet tank automatic flush apparatus of claim 1, wherein
the water discharge valve is a buoyant member floatable upwards and
downwards.
6. The toilet tank automatic flush apparatus of claim 1, wherein
the water discharge valve is not floatable upwards and downwards.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to an automatic flush
apparatus that has a detection device to control a solenoid valve
to channel water supply to generate a hydraulic pressure to actuate
a flush module in a water tank that has a rocker arm to actuate a
water discharge valve to perform flushing.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] Water for flushing toilets generally is stored in a water
tank or a flush tube. Flush control is done manually or by electric
detection. In the known techniques for flushing toilets, using the
flush tube generally is controlled manually or by electric
detection. In the case of using the water tank to supply water for
flushing, manual control is still the most widely used approach.
Automatic electric control is still not widely adopted. This mainly
results from the concern that electronic elements tend to be short
circuit and malfunction when exposed to the damp environment in the
water tank for a prolonged period of time, and normal flushing
operation could be hindered. However, there is still automatic
detection flushing apparatus for toilet tank being developed. They
generally adopt the flush type automatic sensor to detect user's
staying time. When flushing conditions are met, a motor is
activated to rotate an axle to wind up a rope connecting to the
water discharge valve to open the water discharge valve to flush
water stored in the tank into the toilet. The motor is controlled
by a circuit or an eccentric cam. The axle may rotate inverse to
unwind the rope so that the water discharge valve is closed to
prevent the water from flowing out to stop flushing.
[0005] Although the toilet tank automatic flushing apparatus
mentioned above can achieve automatic flushing affect same as the
flush type flushing, it has problems in practical use. For
instance, using generators or motors to wind the rope and open the
water discharge valve has to use AC power. It consumes more
electricity and is an unstable power supply and more difficult to
control. The motor or generator is exposed to the damp water tank,
and is easily rusted or tends to incur corrosion even without
direct contact with the water, therefore could result in
dysfunction of the winding operation. Because of these problems,
the toilet tank automatic flushing apparatus is still not widely
accepted to date.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The primary object of the present invention is to provide a
toilet tank automatic flush apparatus to resolve the disadvantages
occurred to conventional toilet detection flush apparatus that are
installed in the water tanks and easily damped and
malfunctioned.
[0007] The toilet tank automatic flush apparatus according to the
invention has all electric control portions installed outside the
water tank and automatically activates flushing through hydraulic
pressure. It includes a detection module located outside the water
tank to detect user's use condition and emit a control signal to a
solenoid valve module installed outside the water tank and coupled
with a water supply head to actuate a solenoid valve switch to
channel water intake through a pipe into a flush module in the
water tank that does not contains electric facilities. The flush
module includes a hydraulic cylinder to form a hydraulic pressure
to drive a hydraulic arm upwards to lift a rocker arm which has a
distal end fastened to a rope to move a water discharge valve to
flush water of the water tank into the toilet.
[0008] The structure set forth above has the electric controlled
detection module and solenoid valve installed outside the water
tank, thus eliminates the problems of damp and malfunction that
might otherwise occur to the electric elements. Moreover, it uses
the same water supply of the water tank to generate the hydraulic
pressure to control flushing. Thus it consumes no electric power
except a little electric power to actuate the DC solenoid valve
during the entire operation. The operational elements do not have
malfunction problem caused by rustic conditions. It simultaneously
solves the disadvantages of power consuming and erroneous operation
happened to the conventional electric motor flushing.
[0009] The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and
advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the
following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to
the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the
invention.
[0011] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the invention in a use
condition.
[0012] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the invention in a use
condition when a user is leaving.
[0013] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the invention
in a flushing condition.
[0014] FIG. 5 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the invention
after the flushing is finished.
[0015] FIGS. 6 and 7 are sectional views of an embodiment of the
flush module of the invention in operating conditions.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0016] Referring to FIG. 1, the automatic toilet tank flush
apparatus according to the invention includes a detection module 1
to detect user's use condition and emit a control signal, a
solenoid valve module 2 to receive the signal of the detection
module 1 to activate hydraulic operation, and a flush module 3
installed in a water tank to be actuated by the detection module 1
through a hydraulic pressure to actuate a water discharge valve 4
for flushing.
[0017] The detection module 1 is installed on a location sensible
to users. In an embodiment of the invention, it is preferably
located on a wall above the water tank 9. It includes photoelectric
elements that can detect the presence of a user and user's use
conditions. The detected result generates a flushing signal
transmitted to the solenoid valve module 2 through a signal
emission device.
[0018] The solenoid valve module 2 is located below the water tank
9 remote from the damp environment of the water tank to achieve
normal operation with less malfunction. It includes a solenoid
valve switch 21 which has an input end connecting to a water supply
head 8 through a three-way duct 81. The water supply head 8 also is
connected to a water intake device 7 through the three-way duct 81.
Hence water output from the water supply head 8 supplies water
simultaneously to the solenoid valve module 2 and the water intake
device 7.
[0019] The flush module 3 is located in the water tank 9 and
includes a hydraulic cylinder 31 mounted on one side of a upright
post 30, a movable rocker arm 32 located on the top end of the post
30 and a rope 33 fastened to one distal end of the rocker arm
connecting to a water discharge valve 4 to open or close the valve
for flushing water into the toilet. The hydraulic cylinder 31
further is connected to an output end of the solenoid valve module
2 through a tube 34 to transfer output hydraulic pressure of the
solenoid valve module 2 to the hydraulic cylinder 31. The hydraulic
cylinder 31 has a hydraulic arm 35 which is movable up and down
reciprocally to drive the rocker arm 32 to perform a levering up
and down movement. Finally the rope 33 controls the water discharge
valve 4 to open for flushing and close for storing water.
[0020] The tube 34 connecting to the hydraulic cylinder 31 and the
solenoid valve module 2 runs through the water tank 9 through a
connection assembly 6 to communicate the interior of the water tank
9 to the exterior. The connection assembly 6 includes coupling
sleeves 61 and 62 located respectively on the inner side and outer
side of the bottom of the water tank 9, and coupled by a water
check member 63 there between. The coupling sleeves 61 and 62
connect respectively to the tube 34 on two ends to channel water
output from the solenoid valve module 2 to the hydraulic cylinder
31.
[0021] Refer to FIGS. 1 through 7 for the invention in operating
conditions. The detection module 1 located above the water tank 9
detects the presence of a user in use; after a selected time period
(such as five seconds), referring to FIG. 2, the water tank 9 is
filled with water and the solenoid valve module 2 and the flush
module 3 are in standby conditions; when the user leaves the
sensible area of the detection module 1, the detection module 1
immediately emits a control signal for flushing and activating the
solenoid valve switch 21 to the solenoid valve module 2 as shown in
FIG. 3; the solenoid valve module 2 has a signal receiver 22 to
receive the control signal and activates the solenoid valve switch
21 to draw water intake from the water supply head 8 and channel
the water into the hydraulic cylinder 31 through the tube 34 as
indicated by the arrows in the drawings; the flowing water
generates a hydraulic pressure to the tail end of the hydraulic arm
35 to compress a spring 36 on the upper side and push the rocker
arm 32; the rope 33 fastened to the distal end of the rocker arm 32
pulls the water discharge valve 4 open to allow water in the water
tank 9 to flush in a large quantity into the toilet as shown in
FIGS. 4 and 6, Flushing will continue for a selected time period,
then the solenoid valve switch 21 will close to stop water from
flowing into the hydraulic cylinder 31 through the tube 34. Without
the hydraulic pressure, the spring 36 in the hydraulic cylinder 31
releases the elastic force to push the hydraulic arm 35 downwards,
meanwhile the rocker arm 32 also swings downwards to release the
tension of the rope 33 on the water discharge valve 4 as shown in
FIG. 6 so that the water discharge valve 4 is closed to stop water
from flowing into the toilet. The float ball 71 drops due to
lowering of the water level and causes the water intake device 7 to
open a water intake valve to allow water to flow into the water
tank for flushing use of the next cycle, as shown in FIG. 5. The
movement of the spring 36 to release the elastic force to push the
hydraulic arm 35 downwards can accurately move the rocker arm 32
lifting or descending at the desired time rather than purely rely
on the absence of floating force caused by the water discharge
valve 4.
[0022] In the construction set forth above, if the water discharge
valve 4 is made from a soft material floatable up and down, water
discharge and stop control depends on the floating position of the
water discharge valve 4, namely when the weight of the water
discharge valve 4 is greater than the floating force, it drops to
cover the water outlet. On the contrary, it remains open to
discharge water. Such conventional design can provide only one type
of flush with a selected amount of discharge water. The invention
takes into account of different flush requirements for urine and
stool. The water discharge valve may be made from a solid or hard
material that does not create floating force or move. After the
water discharge valve is pulled upwards and the water has been
discharged, the rocker arm 32 is pulled downwards and the rope 33
stops pulling the water discharge valve 4, the water discharge
valve 4 automatically returns to its original position to stop
water flushing. Thereby, referring to FIG. 7, the release elastic
force of the spring 36 can push the hydraulic arm 35 downwards to
force the rocker arm 32 to return to its original position and
produce a smaller amount of discharging water to flush urine. By
contrast, to meet the requirement of discharging a greater amount
of water to flush stool, the detection time period of the sensor
may be set by the circuit in the detection device so that the
opening time of the solenoid valve may be set for a desired time
period and the hydraulic force may be maintained continuously on
the bottom of the hydraulic arm to keep the rocker arm at the
lifted condition. Thus the water discharge valve may be prevented
from dropping due to its own weight and a greater amount of water
may be discharged.
[0023] In summary, the invention can transfer the original flushing
water to kinetic energy to drive water discharge operation. And
only a small amount of DC electric power is required to activate
the mechanism. The related electric detection equipment are
installed outside the water tank, thus can reduce malfunction that
might otherwise occur.
[0024] While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been set
forth for the purpose of disclosure, modifications of the disclosed
embodiment of the invention as well as other embodiments thereof
may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended
claims are intended to cover all embodiments which do not depart
from the spirit and scope of the invention.
* * * * *