Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SPRAYING APPARATUS FOR USE WITH A FLUSH TOILET
BACKGROUND OF THE lNv~N-LlON
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a spraying
apparatus for use with a flush toilet, more
particularly to a spraying apparatus which can be
mounted directly on a conventional flush toilet to
permit washing of a person seated on the latter.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional spraying apparatus for use with a
flush toilet includes a stationary spraying nozzle that
is secured below the toilet seat at a rear part of the
rim portion of the toilet bowl. Since the conventional
spraying apparatus is integral to the toilet seat, it
cannot be mounted directly on a flush toilet. As such,
the original toilet seat and cover must be entirely
replaced when a spraying apparatus is to be equipped on
the flush toilet. Moreover, the stationary spaying
no~zle of the conventional spraying apparatus is not
quite convenient for different users and cannot be used
to wash different body parts effectively and thoroughly
as necessary.
SUMMARY OF THE lNV~NllON
The main object of the present invention is to
provide a simple and more economical spraying apparatus
which can be directly and easily mounted on a
conventional flush toilet.
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Accordingly, the spraying apparatus of the present
invention includes a movable spraying unit, a
stationary spraying unit and a main body. The movable
spraying unit includes a flexible tube and a spraying
head on one end of the flexible tube. The stationary
spraying unit includes a water tube and a spraying
nozzle on one end of the water tube. The spraying
nozzle is adapted to be positioned at a rear part of
the rim portion of the toilet bowl. The main body has a
water chamber adapted to be communicated fluidly with a
water source, a first water outlet connected to the
flexible tube, a second water outlet connected to the
water tube, and a flow control valve unit for
communicating fluidly the water chamber and the first
and second water outlets. The flow control valve unit
is operable so as to direct water flowing into the
water chamber to a selected one of the first and second
water outlets. Water flowing through the spraying
nozzle can be used to wash a person seated on the
toilet bowl.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other features and advantages of the present
invention will become apparent in the following
detailed description of the preferred embodiment with
reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view
illustrating a spraying apparatus according to a
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preferred embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a top, cross-sectional view illustrating
a main body of the spraying apparatus of the preferred
em~odiment;
Figure 3 is a side, cross-sectional view
illustrating the main body of the spraying apparatus of
the preferred embodiment; and
Figure 4 is a perspective view illustrating the
spraying apparatus when installed on a flush toilet.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Before the present invention is described in greater
detail, it should be noted that the ratio of the sizes
of the elements shown in the figures are merely for
illustrative purposes rather than the actual size
ratios therefor.
Referring to Figure 1, the spraying apparatus
according to a preferred embodiment of the present
invention includes a movable spraying unit 3, a
stationary spraying unit 2, a main body 1, a mounting
unit 4 and a positioning plate 5.
The movable spraying unit 3 includes a flexible tube
32 and a spraying head 31 on one end of the flexible
tube 32.
The stationary spraying unit 2 includes a water tube
22 and a spraying nozzle 21 on one end of the water
tube 22. In this embodiment, the spraying nozzle 21 is
mounted on the intermediate portion of a front edge of
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the positioning plate 5.
The main body 1 is supported on the mounting unit 4
and has a water chamber (not shown), a first water
inlet 112 adapted to be connected to a hot water
source, a second water inlet 113 adapted to be
connected to a cold water source, a first water outlet
111 connected to the flexible tube 32 of the movable
spraying unit 3, and a second water outlet 142
connected to the water tube 22 of the stationary
spraying unit 2. The main body 1 further has a mixing
control valve unit 12 which is retained in one end of
the main body 1 by means of a first fastening member 15
and a second fastening member 16. The mixing control
valve unit 12 is operated by a single operating handle
13.
Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the mixing control
valve unit 12 is conventional in construction and has a
first inlet port 121 which communicates fluidly the
first water inlet 112 and the water chamber, and a
second inlet port 122 which communicates fluidly the
second water inlet 113 and the water chamber. The
operating handle 13 is operable so as to mix hot water
from the first water inlet 112 with cold water from the
second water inlet 113 and to control flow of the mixed
water into the water chamber in a known manner. The
mixing control valve unit 12 further has a first outlet
port 123 which serves as a part of the water chamber.
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The flow control valve unit 14 is also conventional
in construction and has an inlet port 144 communicated
fluidly with the first outlet port 123 so as to serve
as another part of the water chamber, and an outlet
port 143 communicated fluidly with the first and second
water outlets 111, 142. The flow control valve unit 14
has an operating cap 141 which is operable so as to
direct water flowing into the inlet port 144 to a
selected one of the first and second water outlets 111,
142 in a known manner.
Referring to Figure 4, the spraying apparatus is
used with a flush toilet 7 which has a toilet bowl 73
with a rim portion 732 and a seat 71 on the rim portion
732. When the spraying apparatus of this embodiment is
mounted on the flush toilet, the mounting unit 4 with
the main body 1 supported thereon is first fixed on a
desired position, for example, on a wall adjacent to
the toilet bowl 73. The positioning plate 5 with the
spraying nozzle 21 mounted thereon is clamped between
the seat 71 and the rim portion 732 of the toilet bowl
73. The first and second water inlets 112, 113 are
respectively connected to the hot and cold water pipes
below a washbasin 6.
To use the spraying apparatus, the operating handle
13 of the mixing control valve unit 12 is operated so
that suitable amounts of hot and cold water are guided
through the first and second inlet ports 121, 122 and
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into the mixing control valve unit 12. Mixed water with
a desired temperature subsequently flows out of the
mixing control valve unit 12 through the water outlet
port 123 and into the flow control valve unit 14, which
controls the flow of water either into the movable
spraying unit 3 for spraying at the spraying head 31,
or into the stationary spraying unit 2 for spraying at
the spraying nozzle 21 that is positioned at a rear
part of the rim portion 72 of the toilet bowl 73,
thereby permitting washing of the anus of a person
seated on the toilet bowl 73.
Accordingly, the spraying apparatus of the present
invention can be easily assembled onto a conventional
toilet. It is further noted that the movable spraying
unit 2 of the spraying apparatus according to the
present invention facilitates thorough washing of any
body part. The object of this invention is thus met.
With this invention thus explained, it is apparent
that numerous modifications and variations can be made
without departing from the scope and spirit of this
invention. It is therefore intended that this invention
be limited only as indicated in the appended claims.
