Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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ACCELERATED RIM WASH FOR A TOILET
This application is a divisional of Canadian patent
application serial number 2,014,019 filed April 6, 1990 under
the name of Masco Corporation of Indiana.
Technical Field
This invention relates to water closets and more
particularly to a fill valve flush system for a water closet
tank.
Background of the Invention
In conventional water closet tanks, a flush valve is
positioned near the bottom of the tank and is operable by a
flush handle via chains or other mechanical linkages. As the
flush valve is opened, the water within the tank drains through
the flush valve opening. The water tank also includes a fill
valve which often incorporates a float member such as a ball
which floats on the water within the tank. Lowering of the
water level within the tank lowers the ball to actuate or turn
on the fill valve. When the flush valve closes and the tank is
refilled, the ball then floats to its shut off position to shut
off the fill valve. This system has long been used in water
closets and provides for adequate flushing if there is adequate
amount of water and water pressure from the tank to the bowl.
Rim flushes for one piece low profile water closets
have a separate conduit leading directly from the fill valve to
the rim wash ports about the upper perimeter of the bowl. The
rim wash line is directly connected to the supply conduit
because the low profile of the water tank relative to the bowl
does not provide adequate water pressure to the rim ports at
the upper perimeter of the bowl. A diverter mechanism is often
provided to direct the water from the fill valve to flow
through a rim wash conduit during the draining of the tank.
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When the tank is emptied and the flush valve closes, the
diverter mechanism switches position to close off the rim wash
conduit and directs water through a fill pipe (i.e. hush tube)
that ends within the tank. The fill valve is actuated by the
lowering of the water level within the tank. Operation of the
flush handle opens the flush valve which allows draining of the
water from the tank hence lowering of the water level within
the tank.
Fill valves have also been devised which eliminate
the use of ball cocks. These fill valves include an air
pressure control chamber in which the rise in water level traps
air within the chamber and causes it to be pressurized to shut
off the valve mechanism in the fill valve. The main valve
mechanism is opened when water in the control mechanism is
drained as the water within the tank flows through the open
flush valve. A fill valve of this type is described in detail
in U.S. patent 4,574,826 and 4,646,779 issued to Dwight Johnson
on March 11, 1986 and March 3, 1987, respectively.
In tankless toilets, a flush valve handle directly
operates and opens the flush valve for a certain period of
time. These flush valves on tankless toilets are common in
commercial and institutional settings. However, these valves
need a water flow of about 25 gallons per minute to produce an
adequate flush in the toilet bowl. Most residential water
supply lines are incapable of supplying water at this high rate
so tanks are incorporated in most residential toilets.
In low water consumption toilets which are becoming
popular either by regulation or by commercial need, the amount
of water within the tank is often under two gallons.
Furthermore, the two gallons of water is flushed in a short six
second period. This short period of time is often inadequate
for the fill valve to actuate and let the water from the
actuated fill valve to flow through the rim wash conduit to the
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rim ports and into the bowl to provide an adequate rim wash
during the flush cycle.
What is needed is a tank for a toilet that provides a
pressurized rim wash that simultaneously commences with the
flush cycle. Furthermore, what is needed is a system which
accelerates the actuation of the fill valve such that
commencement of rim wash is accelerated relative to the
draining of the water in the water tank so that an adequate rim
wash occurs during the short flush cycle of the low water
consumption toilet without the addition of separate valve
mechanisms.
Summary of the Invention
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a
toilet tank flushing system includes a fill valve operably
mounted within the tank. The fill valve includes a main valve
movable between an open and closed position and a control
device for closing and opening the main valve. The control
device desirably includes a control chamber which is responsive
to a predetermined air pressure therein to open the valve when
the pressure is below the predetermined amount and closes the
valve when the pressure is above a predetermined amount. A
tube has a first end connected with the control chamber and is
in air pressure communication therewith. The tube has a second
end normally positioned to be submerged in the tank liquid at
the fill level of the tank. The second end is operably
connected to the flush actuator, commonly a flush handle, such
that upon actuation of the flush handle, the second end is
raised to significantly increase the volume for the air in the
chamber. Consequently, the air pressure is lowered therein.
The control device responds to the lower air pressure and opens
the main valve independent of any lowering of the liquid level
in the tank.
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In one embodiment the second end of the tube is
connected to a volume expander member having an enlarged
diameter to provide for a substantial change in volume as the
enlarged diameter volume expander is partially raised above the
fill level of the water tank to increase the volume for the air
pressure chamber. The lower open end of the volume expander
remains below the water level to provide a seal from ambient
atmosphere during normal operation of the flush handle.
In one embodiment, the tube has a second end which is
raised above the fill level in the water tank to allow the air
pressure within the chamber to be in communication with the
ambient atmosphere and to allow the chamber to lower its
pressure down to ambient atmosphere and thus turn on the main
valve independently of lowering the water from the fill level
in the tank.
The invention may be summarized as a volume expander
member for a fill valve, said member characterized by: a
nozzle fitting section for sealing connection to a tube; an
enlarged bell section having a lower open downwardly facing
end; a transition section between said nozzle and bell section
and positionable at a fill level of a tank; a fastener means
section laterally disposed relative to said nozzle transition
and bell section for fastening onto a flush actuator member.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Reference now will be made to the accompanying
drawings in which:
Fig. 1 is a front elevational and partially segmented
view of a toilet tank in accordance with one embodiment of the
invention showing the valve in the off position and the toilet
tank in the filled mode;
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Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the main
valve in the on position and the flush valve opened;
Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing, in
schematic, the attachment of the tank outlet to the bowl and
the rim wash conduit to the rim port with the toilet tank being
in the refilling mode;
Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of a toilet tank showing
an alternate embodiment of the invention with the toilet tank
in the filled mode;
Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the main
valve in the on position and the flush valve opened;
Fig. 6 is an enlarged side elevational view of the
volume expander shown in Fig. 4; and
Fig. 7 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken
along the lines 7-7 in Fig. 5.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments
Referring to Fig. 1, a toilet tank 10 has a flush
outlet 12 at the bottom thereof. A flush valve 18 incorporates
a flapper 14 that is mounted for pivotal movement onto prongs
16. The flush valve seat assembly 18 has a conventional
overflow pipe 20. The flush valve 14 is connected via chain 22
to a diverter assembly 26 of the type found in U.S. patent
4,318,194 issued to David L. Pinkston on March 9, 1982. The
diverter 26 has one outlet connected to a rim wash conduit 28
and a refill pipe 30 commonly called a hush pipe. Its inlet 32
is connected to a main valve section 34 of fill valve assembly
36 which is of the type disclosed in previously mentioned U.S.
patent 4,574,824 to Johnson.
The main valve section 34 sits on top of a stem
section 38 which is operably connected to a supply conduit 40.
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The main valve 34 is controlled by a diaphragm as taught by the
Johnson patent which is in communication with the probe 42 that
is cylindrical and hollow and forms a control chamber 44. The
probe extends downward to substantially below the fill level as
indicated by line 46. An optional cup member 48 is attached to
the bottom of the probe and forms an open inlet 50 as disclosed
and claimed in a United States Patent 4,887,635 entitled "Fluid
Fill Valve With Accurate Fill Level Mechanism" by Dwight
Johnson and commonly assigned with the present application.
The control diaphragm is responsive to pressure in
chamber 44 which corresponds to compression of air resulting
from a rise of liquid from the bottom 49 of probe 42 to a
response level as indicated by line 54. In turn, response
level 54 is achieved by water at the fill level 46 flowing
through opening 50 in cup 48 to chamber 44.
The probe 42 has a nozzle 56 which connects to a tube
58 which extends through an opening 60 of actuator arm 62 that
is connected to a flush handle 64. The tube 58 is secured
through the opening 60 in arm 62 and has an end section 66
normally submerged under fill level 46. The tube is hollow and
is in fluid communication through nozzle 56 with chamber 44.
The tube is made from a semi-flexible material such as vinyl or
ethylene propylene.
As shown in Fig. 2, the handle 64 can be operated so
that it pivots and causes actuator arm 62 to pivot upwardly.
The upward motion of the actuator arm 62 causes lower end 66 to
lift up above fill level 46 and expose the end 66 and chamber
44 to ambient atmosphere. Control chamber 44 consequently
loses its elevated pressure and the lower pressure causes the
control diaphragm to open the main valve section 36.
Simultaneously actuate arm 62 pivots diverter arm 24
upwardly which in turn pulls the flapper 14 to its open
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position as shown in Fig. 2 via chain 22. The weight 25 on arm
24 opens the passage to rim wash conduit 28. The main valve 34
is open and water then flows through the inlet 32 and through
rim wash 28.
Referring now to Fig. 3, the rim wash conduit 28 is
connected to a plurality of ports 68 about bowl 70. The flush
valve passageway 12 is connected to a jet way 72 directed
toward the bottom portion of bowl 70. Referring back to Fig.
2, it could be seen that the rim wash via conduit 28 and port
68 is started simultaneously with the water within the tank 10
flowing through outlet 12 and before the water is lowered from
fill level 46. The main valve 34 stays on even after flush
handle 64 is released and actuating arm 62 under its own weight
pivots the handle 64 back to the position shown in Fig. 1. The
flapper 14 due to its buoyancy is maintained in position shown
in Fig. 2 until the water drains through the flush valve 18 and
discharge outlet 12. Meanwhile the water within cup 48 drains
through a check valve 51 at the bottom thereof.
When the water is lowered beyond the bottom end of
cup 48 and near the valve seat rim 74 at level indicated by 96,
the flapper 14 closes onto the rim 74 to close the flush valve
18. The closing of flush valve 18 pulls the arm 24 via chain
22 back to the position shown in Fig. 3. The diverter assembly
26 now directs water through the hush pipe 30 to refill the
tank as shown in Fig. 3 past level 76. The lower end 66 of
tube 58 is now sealed within the water in tank 10. Water
continues to refill the tank to the fill level 46 shown in Fig.
1 at which point the chamber 44 becomes repressurized due to
the fact that lower end 66 is now sealed within the water in
tank 10 and water flows through opening 50 into the control
chamber 44. At this point the tank achieves the ready mode as
shown in Fig. 1 and is ready for another flush.
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An alternate embodiment is shown in Figs. 4 and 5
wherein the tube 58 has its end 66a connected via a nozzle
fitting 86 to an enlarged volume expander member 82 having an
increased diameter. The expander has a lower open end 84 and
an upper nozzle fitting 86. The fitting 86 sealingly fits
second end 66a of tube 58. As shown more clearly in Figs. 6
and 7, the volume expander 82 made from a rigid plastic such as
polyolefin has a threaded receptor section 88 capable of
receiving a fastener 90 through hole 60 in arm 62. A shoulder
92 is adjacent the threaded receptor 88 and positioned to abut
the edge of arm 62 to prevent rotation of member 82 with
respect to arm 62. The member 82 has a transition section 93
and an enlarged bell section 95 directly leading to the open
end 84. A support rib 97 reinforces the connection of the
laterally disposed receptor section 88 with the transition
section 93 and bell section 95 to provide a rigid member.
Aperture 99 is below receptor section 88 in rib 95 to allow the
use of longer screws to pass through section 88. The enlarged
section 95 is completely submerged below fill level 46 in the
normal off position. The open end 84 is normally below flush
rim 74.
Upon operation of the flush handle 64 as shown in
Figure 5, the tube 58 is raised such that enlarged section 95
becomes partially placed above fill level 46 such that a
substantial increase in effective chamber volume occurs above
water level 46 to decrease the pressure within chamber 44 of
probe 42. Even though the open end 84 does not become exposed
to the ambient air, the pressure within chamber 44 drops a
sufficient amount to turn on the main valve 34. The actuation
of flush handle 64 and the raising of lower section 82 provides
for the main valve 34 to turn on even before the level of water
within tank 10 is lowered from the fill level 46.
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The flush handle 64 is normally released soon after
actuation such that the arm 62 swings back to the position
shown in Fig. 4. The volume expander member 82 is also dropped
with the release of flush handle 64. The lower end 84 is thus
positioned below valve seat rim 74 and is always submerged
within water in the tank 10. As the tank 10 is refilled when
flush valve 14 is closed, the water then refills bell section
95 and the air within tube 82 will back up through chamber 44
and pass out from under now open end 49 of probe 42. As water
reaches the fill level 46, it flows through cup 50 to shut off
the main valve 34 by increasing pressure in chamber 44. The
volume expander 82 does not significantly affect the air
pressure control during the shutting off operation since the
expander is substantially submerged in water.
It is noted that the volume of air in tube 58 and
upper end of transition section 93 is relatively minor compared
with the volume of air in chamber 44. Therefore the response
levels 54 in chamber 44 are substantially the same and do not
substantively change the shut off operation relative to a valve
that did not have tube 58.
Both of the described embodiments allow for the main
valve 34 to turn on before the water level drops from the fill
position 46. Extra time is provided for water from the main
valve 34 to pass through the rim wash conduit 28 under line
pressure to a rim port 68. An adequate rim wash is actuated
independently from a drop in the tank water level. By
elimination of the need for water in the tank to drop a
significant degree and waiting for the main valve 34 to be
actuated by a drop in the water level, the rim wash gets the
needed water at an accelerated time frame relative to
conventional flush valve systems. The early rim wash before
the drop of the tank water level provides for a more efficient
use of the water through the rim and provides for a cleaner
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bowl after each flush. With this rim wash system and using an
accelerated main valve actuation, adequate flushes with as
little as 1.6 gallons of water are possible without the
necessity of using special air sealed tanks, extra valves, or
other electrical accessories that have been found in more
exotic and cumbersome water saving toilets. Further, a low
profile tank situated substantially behind the bowl can also be
used with the above described instant on fill valve.
It should be noted that the described fill valve
incorporates a control chamber that operates on air pressure.
It is also foreseen that mechanical actuation of a fill valve
that incorporates floats to turn off the fill valve is also
possible. It is also foreseen that other valves besides a fill
valve may be used to direct water to the rim wash.
Variations and modifications of the present invention
are possible without departing from the scope and spirit as
defined in the appended claims.
