Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02495973 2005-02-18
WO 2004/020753 PCT/US2003/026287
TOILET ASSEMBLY
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to a toilet for the removal of human and other
waste. The
present invention further relates to a toilet which is resistant to clogging,
increases flushing
capacity, and delivers the flush water volume with greater energy.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
Toilets for removing waste products are well known. Typically, toilets
incorporate three
systems that work together to perform the flushing action. Those systems are
(1) the bowl
siphon, (2) the flush mechanism, and (3) the refill mechanism. Working in
concert, these three
systems allow for the flushing function of the toilet.
Siphoning is used to transport fluid and waste from the higher elevation of
the bowl to a
lower elevation of the wastewater line. The flow channels in a toilet assembly
are designed to
begin siphoning when the water in the bowl rises above a certain level. The
siphon tube itself is
an upside down U-shaped tube that draws water from the toilet bowl to the
wastewater line.
Water is drawn out of the bowl and into the siphon tube when the toilet is
flushed. The flushing
action is initiated by water entering the bowl through the action of the flush
mechanism and the
refill mechanism. When flushed, the bowl is quickly filled with water from the
tank positioned
above, which causes the siphon tube to fill with water, creating a pressure
gradient in the tube.
The water-filled bowl creates higher pressure at the beginning of the siphon
tube, and causes the
water and waste to be pushed through the tube and into the wastewater line.
Typically, the tank, positioned over the back of the bowl, contains water that
is used to
initiate the siphoning from the bowl to the sewage line, as well as refilling
the bowl with fresh
water. When a user desires to flush the toilet, he pushes down on a flush
lever on the outside of
CA 02495973 2005-02-18
WO 2004/020753 PCT/US2003/026287
the tank, which is connected on the inside of the tank to a movable chain or
lever. When the
flush lever is depressed, it moves a chain or lever on the inside of the tank
which acts to lift and
open the flush valve, causing water to flow from the tank and into the bowl,
thus initiating the
toilet flush.
In many toilet designs, water flows both directly into the bowl and is
dispersed into the
rim of the toilet bowl. The rim typically has several small holes to allow
flow into the bowl.
The water releases into the bowl rather quickly, with flow from the tank into
the bowl typically
lasting approximately two to four seconds. The water flows from the rim, down
a channel within
the sides of the bowl, into the large hole at the bottom of the toilet,
commonly known as the
siphon jet. The siphon jet releases most of the water into the siphon tube,
initiating the siphon
action. The siphoning action draws all the water and waste out of the bowl and
into the siphon
tube. The waste and water continues through the other end of the U-shaped
siphon tube through
an area known as the trapway, and is then released into the wastewater line
connected at the base
of the toilet.
Once the tank is emptied of its contents (fresh water) during the flush, the
flush valve
closes, and a floating mechanism, which has now dropped in the tank to some
residual amount,
initiates the opening of the filler valve. The filler valve provides fresh
water to both the tank and
the bowl through separate flows. Eventually the tank fills with water to a
high enough level to
cause the float to rise, thus shutting off the filler valve. At this point,
the flushing cycle is
complete.
However, government agencies have continually demanded that municipal water
users
reduce the amount of water they use. Much of the focus in recent years has
been to reduce the
water demand required by toilet flushing operations. In order to illustrate
this point, the amount
2
CA 02495973 2005-02-18
WO 2004/020753 PCT/US2003/026287
of water used in a toilet for each flush has gradually been reduced by
governmental agencies
from 7 gallons/flush (prior to the 1950's), to 5.5 gallons/flush (by the end
of the 1960's), to 3.5
gallons/flush (in the 1980's). The National Energy Policy Act of 1995 now
mandates that toilets
sold in the United States can use water in an amount of only 1.6 gallons/flush
(6 liters/flush).
In the past, toilet designs have attempted by various methods to comply with
this reduced
water requirement, but achieving superior flush performance has been
difficult. Therefore, it has
been found desirable to provide a toilet which assists the flush operation in
meeting the
mandated water requirements while at the same time providing for an enhanced
and superior
flushing operation.
In the crowded art of producing a more reliable, more efficient and more
powerful 1.6
gallon (6 liter) gravity toilet, one method to more effectively remove waste
from the toilet bowl
is to increase the hydraulic energy available during the flushing operation.
However, the
hydraulic energy available is not enhanced by the typical rim wash employed in
existing toilets
as the water path flows in two opposite directions through the rim of the
toilet thus reducing the
available energy. It has therefore been found desirable to provide a toilet
which increases the
hydraulic energy of the rim flush.
Current agency requirements further mandate that the flush lever for the flush
valve
assembly have a minimum "hold down" time of 1 second without exceeding the
aforementioned
total water usage or discharge per flush of 1.6 gallons or 6 liters of water.
It has been found that
the hydraulic performance characteristics of the toilet can be significantly
enhanced if water can
be evacuated from the water tank in a dumping time of less than 1 second,
preferably 0.5-0.6
seconds. Therefore, it has been further found desirable to provide a toilet
which releases the
effect of the flush lever so that the valve opening can close before the
expiration of the mandated
3
CA 02495973 2005-02-18
WO 2004/020753 PCT/US2003/026287
minimum "hold down" time of the flush lever (1 second) without exceeding the
total water per
flush mandate of 1.6 gallons (6 liters).
In the development of the invention of this application, several toilets were
examined and
tested. Measurements were made to examine flushing capabilities. In order to
determine the
clogging and unclogging properties of these toilets, various objects were
flushed through the
toilets, including ping gong balls, thick napkins, floating Polypropylene
balls, foam sponges, and
floating rubber tubes. These objects were used to simulate various waste sizes
and shapes.
All of the tested designs shared some of the same problems, but in varying
degrees. First,
several of the models had clogging problems. In most of these toilets, this
problem could be
attributed to an undersized trapway. Second, when there was a significant
level of waste in the
bowl, several of the designs were not capable of cleaning the bowl in a single
flush. Third,
several of the toilets used a symmetrical sweeping flow path to deliver flow
volume to the rim,
which perhaps decreased the efficiency of the toilet. Fourth, the flush-valve
in several of the
toilets was not capable of providing both a fast and high volume of water
delivery from the tank.
Finally, many of the toilets produced a considerable amount of noise during
flushing. These
tests confirmed the desirability of providing a toilet assembly which achieves
a maximum
trapway but does not alleviate the siphon effect.
It is therefore desirable to provide a toilet which allows for quieter
flushing and decreased
likelihood of clogging, increases flushing capacity, and creates a vortex
flushing action by
having an asymmetrical jet stream rim flow. This.toilet includes a flush valve
which minimizes
losses of hydraulic force and allows for smooth transition of the water flow
from the flush valve
to the jet and rim channel supplies.
4
CA 02495973 2005-02-18
WO 2004/020753 PCT/US2003/026287
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is an advantage of the present invention to provide a toilet
which avoids the
aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art.
An additional advantage of the present invention is to provide a toilet that
is resistant to
clogging.
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a toilet with a
flushing
mechanism which is capable of cleaning the bowl in a single flush.
A further advantage of the present invention is to create a toilet which is
self cleaning.
A still further advantage of the present invention is to provide a toilet with
a relatively
silent flushing mechanism.
A yet still further advantage of the present invention is to provide a toilet
with a large
trapway diameter.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is to provide a toilet with a
high discharge
rate into the wastewater line.
Still yet another advantage of the present invention is to provide a toilet
which has a
sweeping flow path to deliver the flush volume to the rim and jet sections
with greater energy.
Yet an additional advantage of the present invention is to provide a toilet
with a
hydraulically tuned direct jet path for greater performance.
It is yet a further advantage of the present invention to provide a toilet
which reduces
hydraulic losses.
Still another advantage of the present invention is to provide a toilet having
an
asymmetrical rim path flow resulting in vigorous vortex action.
5
CA 02495973 2005-02-18
WO 2004/020753 PCT/US2003/026287
In accordance with the present invention, a new and improved toilet is
provided which
includes a toilet bowl assembly having a toilet bowl and a trapway extending
from the bottom of
the toilet bowl to a sewage line. The toilet bowl has a rim part along an
upper perimeter portion
that accommodates an asymmetric flow path for flush water. A water tank
positioned over the
toilet bowl assembly contains water that is used to initiate siphoning from
the toilet bowl to the
sewage line and refills the toilet bowl with fresh flush water after each
flush operation.
This toilet incorporates water supply to the bowl from both a direct jet flow
as well as an
asymmetrical rim flow. The water flows from the tank through the rim in one
direction and is
dispersed through one slot halfway around the rim (at the front of the bowl)
and another slot at
the end of the rim's path (at the back of the bowl). The water also flows
through several other
smaller holes distributed evenly along the perimeter of the rim. The water
discharged from the
two large rim slots is in two powerful streams, thus creating a strong vortex
that initiates the
flushing action. This water discharge configuration creates a high energy jet.
The dispersion
from the smaller holes around the perimeter of the bowl serves to wet and
clean the bowl.
This toilet includes a trapway with no reductions in cross sectional area.
This feature
prevents clogging, because any load passing through the trap continues through
to the
wastewater line. This trapway is also larger than existing trapways, which
enhances the toilet's
anti-clogging capacity. This increased trapway size also increases the waste
discharge rate at the
end of the system into the wastewater line.
Various other advantages, and features of the present invention will become
readily
apparent from the ensuing detailed description and the novel features will be
particularly pointed
out in the appended claims.
6
CA 02495973 2005-02-18
WO 2004/020753 PCT/US2003/026287
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The following detailed description, given by way of example, will best be
understood in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of a toilet in
accordance
with the teachings of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the toilet of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a top elevational view illustrating the flush water flow into the
toilet bowl of
the toilet of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a front perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a flush
valve assembly
to be incorporated in the toilet of Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a front perspective view of the flush valve assembly of Figure 4
with the valve
opening in its open position.
Figure 6 is a front exploded view of the flush valve assembly of Figures 4-5.
Figure 7 is a front plan view of the flush valve assembly of Figure 4.
Figure 8 is a front sectional view of the flush valve assembly of Figure 4
with the valve
opening in its closed position.
Figure 9 is a front sectional view of the flush valve assembly of Figure 5
with the valve
opening in its open position.
Figure 10 is a front perspective view of the trip release mechanism of the
flush valve
assembly of Figures 4-5.
Figure 11 is a front elevational view of the water valve inlet between the
water tank and
the toilet bowl of the toilet of Figure 1.
7
CA 02495973 2005-02-18
WO 2004/020753 PCT/US2003/026287
Figure 12 is a side elevational view of the water valve inlet of Figure 11.
Figure 13 is a side elevational view of the water pathway or conduit leading
from the
water tank to the toilet bowl in the toilet of Figure 1.
Figure 14 is a side elevational view of the bowl rim of the toilet of Figure 1
and
specifically illustrates a water slot provided in the bowl rim through which
flush water passes.
Figure I 5 is a side elevational view of the bowl rim of the toilet of Figure
1 and
specifically illustrates the rim holes provided therein through which water
passes.
Figure 16 is a top elevational view illustrating the flush water flow through
another
preferred embodiment of a rim path for a toilet in accordance with the
teachings of the present
invention.
Figure 17 is a side elevational view of the bowl rim of the toilet of Figure
16 taken along
line 17-17 of Figure 16.
Figure I 8 is a top elevational view illustrating the flush water path through
another
preferred embodiment of a rim path for a toilet in accordance with the
teachings of the present
invention.
Figure 19 is a side elevational view of the bowl rim of the toilet of Figure
18 taken along
line 19-19 of Figure 18.
Figure 20 is a side view of the toilet bowl of the toilet of Figure 1 filled
with water.
Figure 21 is a side elevational view of the siphon and trapway conduits of the
toilet of
Figure 1.
Figure 22 is a side elevational view of another preferred embodiment of a
toilet in
accordance with the teachings of the present invention.
Figure 23 is a front elevational view of the toilet of Figure 22.
8
CA 02495973 2005-02-18
WO 2004/020753 PCT/US2003/026287
Figure 24 is a top elevational view illustrating the flush wall flow into the
toilet bowl of
the toilet of Figure 22.
Figure 25 is a top elevational view of another preferred embodiment of a
plastic insert for
the direct jet channel to be used in conjunction with the toilets of Figures 1
and 18.
Figure 26 is a top elevational view of another preferred embodiment of a
plastic insert for
the direct jet pathway to be used in conjunction with the toilet assembly of
the present invention.
Figure 27 is a side elevational view specifically illustrating water flow
through the plastic
insert of Figure 26.
Figure 28 is a side view specifically illustrating impeded water flow through
a direct jet
pathway.
Figure 29 is a chart representing the flush rate of the toilet of Figure 1
plotting
millimeters/second vs. elapsed time.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to Figures 1-3, a toilet tank in accordance with the teachings
of the present
invention is illustrated. As will be explained in more detail below, this
toilet has a greater energy.
throughput of the flush water to thereby provide more energy available to
remove waste from the
toilet bowl. In addition, this toilet permits a toilet to meet govermnental
agency requirements
which mandate a maximum water usage of 1.6 gallons (6 liters) per flush.
Further, this toilet
improves the flow characteristics of the flow water and flow capacity to
provide for not only a
more efficient flush but also enhanced cleaning performance and anti-clogging
siphoning to
assist in waste removal. Moreover, this toilet provides for a quieter and
faster flush operation.
As shown in Figures 1-3, the toilet 10 includes a water tank 12 which includes
a flush
valve assembly 14. The water tank 12, which is positioned over the back of the
toilet bowl 20,
9
CA 02495973 2005-02-18
WO 2004/020753 PCT/US2003/026287
contains water that is used to initiate the siphoning from the bowl to the
sewage line, as well as
refilling the bowl with fresh water. When a user desires to flush the toilet,
the user pushes down
on a flush lever 18 on the outside of the water tank which is connected to the
flush valve
assembly 14 by a movable chain or lever 19. When the flush lever 18 is
depressed, the chain or
lever 19 acts to lift open the flush valve opening to be described
hereinafter, causing water to
flow from the tank 12 and into the toilet bowl 20 thus initiating the toilet
flush.
In this toilet, the flush water passes from the water tank 12 to the toilet
bowl 20 through a
transition pathway 22, which as will be described in further detail below can
be configured as a
manifold made of plastic. This transition pathway 22 directs the flush water
either into a rim
channel 24 provided on top of the toilet bowl 20 or into a direct jet channel
29. As will be
described in more detail below, the flush water flows through the rim channel
24 of the toilet in a
path which is asymmetric and unidirectional (see arrows A of Figure 3). This
rim channel 24
includes a plurality of rim openings such as 26a, b, c and d distributed
evenly along the perimeter
of the rim channel 24 so that a portion of the flush water in the rim channel
24 flows
therethrough and along the sides of the toilet bowl so as to pre-wet the
entire perimeter of the
toilet bowl and provide a side wall cleaning operation.
In order to increase the flush efficiency and performance of the toilet, a
pair of water
discharge slots 28a and 28b are provided in the rim channel 24 so that the
flush water passing in
the asymmetric path through the rim channel 24 can either be dispensed from
the rim channel 24
into the toilet bowl through one of the plurality of rim openings, such as
26a, b, c and d, or
through one of the pair of water discharge slots 28a and 28b. These water
discharge slots 28a
and 28b discharge flush water directly into the toilet bowl 20 in two water
streams (see arrows B
& C in Fig. 3) which create a strong vortex action to provide greater siphon
energy for waste
CA 02495973 2005-02-18
WO 2004/020753 PCT/US2003/026287
removal as will be described in greater detail below. As is shown in Fig. 3,
one of the pair of
water discharge slots 28a is provided about halfway around the rim channel 24
and the second of
the water discharge slots 28b is provided at a back section 29 of the toilet
bowl 20.
During the flush operation as described above, the water flows from the rim
openings
26a, b, c and d down the sides of the bowl or directly into the toilet bowl 20
through the water
discharge slots 28a and 28b toward the large discharge orifice 30 provided at
the bottom of the
toilet bowl 20 known as the siphon jet. Flush water is also delivered directly
into the siphon jet
by means of the direct jet channel 29. The siphon jet releases most of the
water into the trapway
40 initiating a siphoning action. The siphoning action draws all the water and
waste out of the
toilet bowl and into the trapway 40 and is then released into the waste water
line connected at the
base 31 of the toilet 10.
Once the tank is emptied of its predetermined volume during the flush, the
opening of a
filler valve (not shown) is initiated. The filler valve provides fresh water
to both the water tank
12 and the toilet bowl 20 through separate flows. Eventually the water tank 12
fills to a water
lever to cause a float of the flush valve assembly 14 to rise, thus shutting
off the filler valve. The
flushing cycle is now completed.
A more detailed description of the components of the toilet 10 of the present
invention
follows.
As is shown in Figures 4 through 6, the flush valve assembly 14 of the present
invention
includes a valve body 32, a flush cover member 34 of a predetermined length,
and a "trip-
release" or "lost-motion" mechanism 36. The valve assembly 14 allows the water
tank to which
it is installed to hold a predetermined volume of water and to also serve as a
conduit to deliver
water to the toilet trapway via the passages within the toilet. The valve body
32 includes a base
11
CA 02495973 2005-02-18
WO 2004/020753 PCT/US2003/026287
sleeve portion 38 which is secured to the water tank or water closet by a
threaded member 39
provided along the outer peripheral surface 40 of a base support portion 41
thereof.
The valve body 32 also includes a first cylindrical tube member 46 which
extends
vertically from the base sleeve portion 38. In order to properly seal the
valve body 32 to the
water tank, a sealing member or washer 42 is fitted over the threaded member
39 so as to abut
against an annular flange surface 43 of the base sleeve portion 38. A seal
bearing 44 is threaded
on the threaded member 39 so as to securely position the sealing member 42
between the annular
flange member 43 and the sealing member 44.
The flush valve cover or closure component 34 is coaxially and slidably
mounted with
respect to the valve body 32 so that a valve opening 50 is created between the
valve body 32 and
the flush valve cover 34 when the flush valve cover 34 is removed from the
valve body 32. The
flush valve cover 34 is slidably movable between a first rest position,
wherein the flush valve
cover 34 is seated on an annular valve seat 52 of the base sleeve portion 38
of the valve body 32
so that water cannot pass through the valve opening 50 (see Figs 4 and 8); and
a second position,
wherein the flush valve cover 34 is removed from the annular valve seat 52 of
the base sleeve
portion 38 of the valve body 32 so that water can pass through the valve
opening 50 (see Figs. 5
and 9). The closed position of the valve opening 50 prevents the flow of flush
water into the
valve opening until the valve is activated, by means of a flush lever I 8. The
open position of the
valve opening 50 allows the flow of flush water to enter the valve opening and
proceed into
passages within the toilet to which the water tank is attached.
As is set forth below, the flush valve assembly 14 of the present invention
achieves a
greater energy throughput of the flush water, which in turn generates more
energy available to
remove waste from the toilet bowl. In order to obtain this advantageous
result, the base sleeve
12
CA 02495973 2005-02-18
WO 2004/020753 PCT/US2003/026287
portion 38 of the vent tube includes a radiused inlet 58 which has a diameter
a which is
approximately 4.5 inches with a radius b of 3/a " (see Fig. 7) incorporated
onto the leading edge
58a of the inlet.
As a result, the radiused inlet 58 of the base sleeve portion 18 creates a
discharge
coefficient of the valve opening of 0.95. The discharge coefficient is the
ratio between the actual
flow area of the opening area and the static opening area. In practice, the
higher the discharge
coefficient of the opening, the greater the hydraulic energy of the water
passing through the
opening. Without providing a radiused inlet at the valve opening with a lead-
in angle as in the
present invention, the discharge coefficient of the typical prior valve
opening is approximately
0.6. Accordingly, the throughput energy of the flush water passing through the
valve opening of
the flush valve assembly 14 of the toilet of the present invention is greater
than the throughput
energy of the flush water passing through existing valve assemblies of the
prior art as discussed
above. As a result of the radiused inlet 58 of the base sleeve portion 38 of
the valve body 32 as
described above, the flow characteristics of the flush water and flow capacity
of the flush valve
assembly incorporated in the toilet of the present invention are improved.
Therefore, more
energy is generated in the flush water passing through this flush valve
assembly to remove waste
in the toilet bowl.
In order to accommodate unrestricted overflow into the water tank, the flush
valve cover
34 includes a funneled inlet 59 at the flush water inlet orifice 60. This
funneled inlet has a
predetermined lead-angle J3 to the horizontal axis of the flush valve cover
(see Figure 7).
As shown in the figures, especially Fig. 4, flush valve cover 34 may include
an upper
portion 34', a lower portion 34", and a portion 34"' located therebetween
which may be a
stepped or an inclined portion. The diameter of upper portion 34'may be
smaller than the
13
CA 02495973 2005-02-18
WO 2004/020753 PCT/US2003/026287
diameter of lower portion 34". Additionally, the annular sealing member 64
provided along the
bottom surface of the flush valve cover 34 has a diameter which may be larger
than that of the
lower portion 34"
The inclined portion 34"' and the diameter of annular sealing member 64 may be
designed and/or selected so as to enable a force to be exerted on the flush
valve cover 34 during
a filing operation which is sufficient to pull the flush valve cover 34 down
and cause a proper
seal to be formed. Such force may be the minimum force necessary to pull the
flush valve cover
34 down and provide the proper seal. Additionally, the diameter of the lower
portion 34" is
selected so as to provide a desired buoyancy of the flush valve cover 34. Such
buoyancy may
affect the time period in which the flush valve cover 34 remains opened.
Thus, the flush valve cover 34 may provide a desired buoyancy and enable a
minimum
pulling force to be applied thereto while providing a proper sealing condition
when the flush
valve cover is moved to its first rest position. Furthermore, the flow
characteristics of the flush
water and flow capacity of the flush valve assembly 14 of the present
invention are also
enhanced by reducing the pulling force necessary to close and properly seal
the valve opening 50
when the flush valve cover 34 is moved from its second upper position to its
first rest position.
In accordance therewith, in the flush valve assembly 14 incorporated in the
toilet of the
present invention, an annular valve seat 52 is provided downstream of the
radiused inlet 58 in the
flush water discharge opening 61. As best shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the annular
sealing member
64 is provided along the outer circumferential surface 63 of the flush valve
cover 34 which rests
in the indented annular valve seat 52 when the flush valve cover 34 is in its
first rest position
In order to properly guide and align the flush valve cover 34 with respect to
the valve
body 32 when the flush valve cover 34 is moved between its first rest and
second upper position,
14
CA 02495973 2005-02-18
WO 2004/020753 PCT/US2003/026287
the flush valve cover 34 includes a second inner cylindrical tube member 68
secured to the inner
peripheral surface of an inner downwardly depending vertical wall member 70 of
the flush valve
cover 34 by means of a plurality of radially disposed web members (not shown)
bridging the
second tube member 68 between the inner wall member 70 and the second
cylindrical tube
member 68. The second cylindrical tube member 68 is fitted over the first
cylindrical tube
member 46 of the valve body 32 so that the flush valve cover 34 is properly
guided and
accurately aligned with the valve body 32 when the flush valve cover 34 is
moved between its
first rest position and second upper position.
This guiding assembly consisting of the first and second cylindrical tube
members 46 and
68, respectively, also assists in properly sealing the valve opening 50 when
the flush valve cover
34 is returned to its first rest position. The guiding assembly assures that
the annular sealing
member 64 fitted over the flush valve cover 34 is properly seated on the
annular valve seat 52 of
the valve body 32 in the first rest position of the flush valve cover 34.
In order to reduce hydraulic losses and further improve flow characteristics
of the flush
valve assembly 34, the valve body 32 includes structure to minimize flow
resistance. This flow
resistance minimization member includes a plurality of tapered web members
72a, 72b, 72c
radially disposed between the first cylindrical tube member 46 and an inner
peripheral portion 73
of the base sleeve portion 38 of the valve body 32. As is best shown in Fig.
7, each tapered web
member 72a, 72b, 72c is formed of a lower height section 75a at an end toward
the first
cylindrical tube member 46 which increases in height through a tapered section
75b until
reaching extended height section 75c at an end toward the inner peripheral
surface 73 of the base
sleeve portion 38. With this design, turbulence of the flush water passing
through the valve
discharge opening 61 is minimized.
CA 02495973 2005-02-18
WO 2004/020753 PCT/US2003/026287
Hydraulic losses can also result if the flush water does not flow in a laminar
manner.
Laminar flow can be disrupted by backflow of water within the flush valve
assembly 14. In
order to reduce backflow of the flush water during the flushing operation,
adequate flotation of
the flush valve cover 34 must be provided so that the flush water will drain
properly.
In order to provide flotation of the flush valve cover 34 when the flush valve
cover 34 is
moved from its first rest position to its second rest position so as to
achieve proper flush water
drainage, a flotation cavity 76 is formed between the downwardly depending
inner and outer
wall members 70 and 78, respectively, of the flush valve cover 34.
As in typical flush valve assemblies, the flush valve cover 34 is initially
moved from its
first rest position, wherein the valve opening 50 is closed, to a second
position, wherein the valve
opening 50 is opened by means of a flush lever 18. This flush lever 18 is
displaceable by a user
between a first rest position and a second position to operatively move the
flush valve cover 34
between its first rest position and second upper position. Current agency
requirements mandate
that the minimum "hold-down" time for the flush lever is one second. However,
the longer the
valve opening remains open before water is evacuated from the tank, the more
energy is
dissipated during the flush cycle.
The flush valve assembly of the present invention can achieve closure of the
valve
opening 50 in less than 1 second, preferably in 0.5-0.6 seconds, to increase
the available
hydraulic energy of the flush water and thereby ensure a relatively rapid
delivery of a
predetermined quantity of flush water without exceeding agency requirements.
In accordance
therewith, the flush valve assembly 14 includes a "trip-release" or "lost-
motion" mechanism 36
which, as described below, releases the effect of the flush lever 18 on the
flush valve cover 34
when the flush valve cover 34 reaches its second position so as to return the
flush valve cover to
16
CA 02495973 2005-02-18
WO 2004/020753 PCT/US2003/026287
its first rest position prior to the flush lever 18 returning to its first
rest position.
As is shown in the figures, the trip release mechanism 36 includes a cam rod
80, a pull
rod 82 operatively connected to the flush lever at end 82a and slidably
mounted with respect to
the cam rod 80 so that the pull rod 82 and the cam rod 80 are moveable in
response to movement
of the flush lever. A trip dog assembly 90 is also incorporated in the trip
release mechanism 36
which is capable of engaging the flush valve cover 34 when the pull rod 82 and
cam rod 80 are
moved between a first rest position and a second predetermined position and is
capable of
disengaging the flush valve cover 34 when the pull rod 82 moves beyond its
second
predetermined position.
As is best shown in Figures 6, 7 and 10, the pull rod 82 includes a plurality
of extension
members, such as 77a and 77b, which includes a narrow width section 79a
gradually increasing
in width to a raised width section 79b. The raised width members 79b extend
outwardly to an
extent such that they can be received within a receiving opening I OOa formed
by the inner
peripheral surface of an annularly inclined baffle 100, to be explained in
more detail below.
Each of the raised width members 79b include an engaging hole 79c at a lower
end thereof
The engaging and disengaging members of the trip dog assembly 90 include wing-
like
retention members 92a, 92b which are supported in the engaging holes 79c of
the raised width
members 79b of the extension members 77a and 77b. As is shown in Figure 8, the
wing-like
retention members 92a, 92b extend outwardly to engage the flush valve cover 34
when the cam
rod 80 and the pull rod 82 are moved together between their first position and
the second
predetermined position so as to move the flush valve cover 34 between its
first rest and second
positions. Further movement of the cam rod 80 is restricted past this second
predetermined
position as will be described in further detail below. With the movement of
the cam rod 80 so
17
CA 02495973 2005-02-18
WO 2004/020753 PCT/US2003/026287
restricted, Figure 9 illustrates that the wing-like retention members 92a, 92b
retract when the pull
rod 82 is moved past the second predetermined position so as to disengage the
wing-like
retention members 92a, 92b from the flush valve cover 34 which in turn allows
the flush valve
cover 34 to return to its first rest position.
More specifically, as shown in Figures 6 and 8, in the first rest position of
the cam rod 80
and the pull rod 82, a first catch member 93 of each wing-like retention
member 92a and 92b
abuts against a leading inclined surface 94a of a central depression cam
section 94 of the cam rod
80. The leading edge 95a of a second catch member 95 of the wing-like
retention members 92a,
92b abuts against a reduced diameter section 80a of the central depression cam
section 94 of the
cam rod 80.
Each of the winb like retention members 92a, 92b further include an engagement
section
97 which is pivoted to extend outwardly and be thereby repositioned when the
cam rod 80 and
pull rod 82 are returned to their first rest positions. As the flush lever 18
initially moves the cam
rod 80 and the pull rod 82 from their initial rest positions, the first and
second catch members 93
and 95 of the wing-like retention members are contained within the central
depression cam
section 94 of the cam rod 80. Upon further combined movement of the cam rod 80
and the pull
rod 82 due to further depression of the flush lever 18, the engagement section
97 of each
retention member 92a and 92b is engaged with annularly inclined baffle member
100 (see Fig. 7)
extending from an inner peripheral surface 102 of the flush valve cover 34 to
raise the flush
valve cover 34 from its first rest position, wherein the flush opening 50 is
closed, to a second
upper position, wherein the flush opening 50 is opened. When the cam rod 80
and the pull rod
82 have been moved to the second predetermined height position upon depression
of the flush
lever 18, an extended annular base flange 80b provided on a base section 80c
of the cam rod 80
18
CA 02495973 2005-02-18
WO 2004/020753 PCT/US2003/026287
abuts against an inwardly extending flange 46a provided at the top end 46b of
the first cylindrical
tube member 46 of the valve body 32 (see Fig. 9). This restricts further
movement of the cam
rod 80 with the pull rod 82 as the flush lever 18 is further depressed.
When the pull rod 82 is moved past this second predetermined position by
further
depression of the flush lever 18, the pull rod 82 is subjected to additional
bias force being applied
by a spring member 104 which is fitted over an upper portion of the cam rod 80
and loaded
between a central core member 106 of the pull rod 82 (see Figs. 7 and 10) and
a spring knob 108
provided at an upper end of the cam rod 80 (see Figure 10). Since the cam rod
80 is prevented
from further movement, when the pull rod 82 is moved past the second
predetermined height
position and the biased force begins to be applied thereto, the first and
second catch members 93
and 95 ride out of the central depression cam section 94 of the cam rod 80.
This, in turn, causes
the wing-like retention members 92a and 92b to pivot (see Fig. 9) such that
the engaging sections
97 of the retention members 92a and 92b are retracted toward the pull rod 80
and disengaged
from the annularly inclined baffle member 100 of the flush valve cover 34. As
a result, since the
flush lever 18 is connected to the pull rod 82, the flush valve cover 34 is no
longer under the
effect of the flush lever 18. Since the flush valve cover 34 is unrestrained,
the flush valve cover
34 is capable of returning to its first rest position. The pull rod 82
continues its upward
movement past the second predetermined position until the central core member
106 abuts
against the spring knob 108. At this point, further movement of the pull rod
82 is restricted.
This flushing operation causes closure of the valve opening in approximately
0.5-0.6
seconds providing a relatively quick flush operation which causes reduced
energy dissipation of
the flush water during the flushing operation. Even though the flush valve
cover 34 returns to its
first rest position to close the valve opening 50, the pull rod 82 continues
to move upwardly until
19
CA 02495973 2005-02-18
WO 2004/020753 PCT/US2003/026287
the flush lever 18 has complied with its mandatory 1 second "hold-down" time.
In addition, the second cylindrical tube member 68 of the flush valve cover 34
includes
an annular extended flange 1 I 1 at the upper end thereof (see Fig. 7). When
the cam rod 80 and
the pull rod 82 axe returned to their first rest position in a subsequent
flushing operation and the
effect of the flush lever is released, the camming surfaces 109 of the
retracted wing-like retention
members 72a and 72b abut against the annular extended flange 111 of the second
cylindrical
tube member 68. As the camming surfaces ride thereover, the wing-like
retention members 92a,
92b are cammed to an extended engageable position so that the first catch
member 93 of each
wing-like retention member 92a and 92b abuts against the leading inclined
surface of the central
depression cam section 94 of the cam rod 80 and the wing-like retention
members 92a and 92b
are pivoted into a position whereby the engaging member 97 is capable of
engaging the
annularly inclined baffle member 100 of the flush valve cover 34 in a
subsequent flush operation.
By including the "trip-release" or "lost-motion" mechanism 36 in combination
with the
other features set forth above, the flow characteristics of the flush water
and flow capacity of the
flush valve assembly are improved while at the same time compliance with
mandated agency
requirements is achieved.
Figure 11 illustrates a sweep inlet 110 providing a transition between the
water tank 12
and the transition pathway 22 so as to maximize throughput energy of the flush
water passing
into the transition pathway 22 which in turn creates more available energy to
remove waste from
the toilet bowl. As shown in Figure 11, the sweep inlet 110 has a radiused
port I I2 at one end
thereof having an inclined leading edge 1 I2a, similar to the radiused inlet
58 of the base sleeve
portion 38 of the flush valve assembly of Figures 4-9. The radiused port I I2
has a diameter of
preferably approximately 4 inches which tapers to a narrowed diameter of 3
inches between the
CA 02495973 2005-02-18
WO 2004/020753 PCT/US2003/026287
side walls 114a and b. The leading edge 112a is inclined to the horizontal
axis of the water tank
12 at a lead-in angle a.
As a result of this valve inlet design, the discharge coefficient of the flush
valve is
increased to approximately 0.95. By increasing the discharge coefficient, the
hydraulic energy of
the water passing through the flush valve is increased. As a result, the
hydraulic losses of the
flush water passing from the tank to the rim and jet supply channels are
reduced such that more
energy is created in the flush water to remove waste in the toilet bowl.
Figure 12 is another arrangement for a fhlsh valve with improved
hydrodynamics. This
flush valve embodiment also includes a valve inlet 115 having a radiused port
116 but does not
require elevation of the platform for the water tank as in the valve inlet 110
of Figure 11. Due to
the lack of elevation of the platform for the water tank, in order to provide
adequate sealing, the
valve inlet 115 is made of molded rubber.
The piers of Figures 11 and 12 are set forth herein for illustrative purposes.
These
designs provide for a delivery rate of approximately 7.5 liters/sec. into the
transitional pathway
22. As would be readily known to one skilled in the art, a flush valve cover,
such as in the flush
valve assembly of Figures 4-9 can be used in conjunction with either of these
valve inlets 110
and 115. Alternatively, other known flush valve assemblies can be adapted to
be used in
conjunction with these pier concepts.
Figure 13 illustrates the transitional pathway or sweep elbow 22 leading from
the flush
valve assembly of the water tank 12 to the rim channel 24 and direct water
channel 29. As
shown in Figure 13, the radius R of the sweep elbow 22 is at least 3 inches,
that is, the radius R
must be at least equal to the narrowed diameter of the radiused inlet. At the
inlet end 116 of the
transitional pathway 22, the flush valve assembly, such as 14 herein will be
fitted with a radiused
21
CA 02495973 2005-02-18
WO 2004/020753 PCT/US2003/026287
horn (not ShOWn). The transitional pathway 22 is preferably made of chinaware
and thus
provides for the smooth transition of the flow of the flush water from the
flush valve 12 to the
rim channel 24 and the direct water jet channel 29. Therefore, in conjunction
with the flush
valve assemblies with radiused inlet as set forth above, a "sweeping" flow
path is provided to
deliver flush water volume with increased energy to the rim channel 24 and
direct jet channel 29.
As aforementioned, the flush water delivered from the transitional pathway 22
either
passes into the rim channel 24 or the direct water jet channel 29 provided at
the back section of
the toilet bowl. As best shown in Figures 1 and 3, the water jet channel 29 is
relatively large
preferably (1 5/8" diameter) such that a concentrated stream of flush water is
directed into the
siphon jet 30 at the base of the toilet bowl (see arrow C in Fig. 3). Since
this toilet has a single
side jet feed, hydraulic losses of the flush water are reduced in comparison
to a toilet design
having jet ports on both sides of the toilet bowl thereby leading to enhanced
flush performance.
In the typical flush, 2.6 liters of water passes through the direct jet
channel 29.
Figures 1 and 3 illustrate that the flush water flows through the spiral rim
channel 24 in
an unrestricted supply path which is asymmetric and unidirectional. In order
to create balanced
flow of the flush water between the rim channel 24 and the direct jet channel
29, approximately
1.7 liters of water passes through the rim channel 24 during each flush
operation. In the
preferred embodiment, the rim cross section is approximately 1 '/4" x 1 ~/Z".
As described above, the rim channel 24 has two water discharge slots 28a and
b, such as
the discharge slot shown in Fig. 14. As is shown in Figures 1 and 3, one of
the discharge slots
28a is provided at a front section 117 of the rim channel 24 and has a
preferred dimension of
approximately 3" x 5l8" and the second discharge slot 28b is provided at a
rear end section 118
of the rim channel 24 and has a preferred dimension of approximately 4" x 1 ".
The flush water
22
CA 02495973 2005-02-18
WO 2004/020753 PCT/US2003/026287
is discharged through the first and second discharge slots 28a and 28b in two
powerful streams to
generate a strong vortex action in the sump. This vortex action, in
combination with the action
of the water jet delivered from the jet channel 29 and the siphon vacuum,
leads to a quicker and
more complete removal of waste from the toilet bowl as well as provides an
efficient bowl
cleaning operation.
As is shown in Figs. 3 and 15, the rim channel 24 also includes a plurality of
rim
openings, such as 26a, b, c and d. In the preferred embodiment, twenty five
rim openings are
distributed evenly throughout the whole perimeter of the rim channel 24. Each
of the rim
openings 26a, b, c and d has a diameter of approximately 7/32" with a pitch of
approximately
1 '/2". The flush water passing through the rim openings 26a, b, c and d pre-
wets the whole
perimeter of the toilet bowl 12. Although energy is dissipated in the flush
water passing through
the rim openings 26a, b, c and d, this water still contributes additional
energy to the creation of a
strong vortex in the sump of the toilet bowl to efficiently and quickly remove
waste.
In this cleaning process as described above, the sides of the bowls are pre-
wetted due to
the water passing through the rim openings 26a, b, c and d. In addition, the
strong vortex action
created by water passing through the siphon jet 29 and the discharge slots 28a
and b efficiently
washes the walls of the toilet bowl.
Figure 16 illustrates in more detail the flush water flow through the rim
channel 24, and
more particularly, the side entry of the water flow from the transitional
pathway 22' to the rim
channel 24, as shown by arrows D. Figure 16 further illustrates that a strong
vortex action can be
achieved if the flush water is discharged from the rim channel 24 into the
toilet bowl 20 by
concentrated water streams, such as the water streams depicted by arrows E and
F. These two
streams E and F compensate for each other and create a strong but yet non-
turbulent vortex
23
CA 02495973 2005-02-18
WO 2004/020753 PCT/US2003/026287
action in the toilet bowl. The two steams E and F are formed by flush water
being discharged
through the pair of water discharge slots 28a and 28b provided in the rim
channel 24. Fig. 16
illustrates that one of the discharge slots 28a is provided in the middle of
the rim channel path at
the front of the toilet bowl and the other discharge slot 28b is formed at the
terminus of the spiral
of the rim channel 24. By providing the second and last discharge slot at the
end of the rim
channel 24, water reliably flows in a sufficient amount through the plurality
of rim openings,
such as 26a, b, c and d such that the whole perimeter of the toilet bowl is
cleared. It has been
found that providing two concentrated streams of water, such as water streams
E and F, enhances
the efficiency of the flush and reduces energy losses.
Moreover, in the design of this toilet, applicants have found that it is
advantageous to
obtain unrestricted continuation of the water stream after the flush water is
discharged from the
rim channel 24. This objective can be achieved by forming a smooth sloped end
wall, such as
140 (see Figure 17) at the back end of the final discharge slot 28b. If wall
140 was vertical
instead of sloped, horizontal water flow is significantly retarded and kinetic
energy is lost.
Figures 18 and 19 illustrate another preferred embodiment of the configuration
of a rim
channel 150 for the toilet assembly of the present invention. In this
embodiment, the flush water
enters the rim channel 150 from the transitional pathway 22" at a side
thereof. The flush water
flows around the rim channel 150 in the direction of arrows G in Fig. 18 in a
path which is
asymmetric and unidirectional. Along this path, a first set of rim openings
152a, b and c,
preferably three in number, are provided in the middle of the rim channel path
at the front of the
toilet and a second set of rim openings 154a, b and c are provided at the end
of the spiral rim
path. A water discharge slit 1 ~6 is also formed in the rim channel 150 after
the last of the second
set of rim openings 154c.
24
CA 02495973 2005-02-18
WO 2004/020753 PCT/US2003/026287
In this embodiment (Fig. 18), the rim openings 1 S2a, b and c and 1 S4a, b and
c are
relatively large and located close to each other. The narrow walls (see 1 SBa,
158b) between the
rim holes provide rigidity in the vertical direction and reduce distortion of
the water flow. In
total, the combined area of the rim openings 1 S2a, b, and c and 1 S4 a, b and
c should be
approximately equal to the respective water discharge slots 28a and b in the
embodiment of
Figure 3. By providing two sets of rim openings as shown in Figure 18, a
strong vortex action of
the flush water is obtained with an even water level being distributed along
the perimeter.
In the rim channel 1 SO of Figure 18, unrestricted continuation of the water
stream is
achieved after the flush water has completed the entire rim path of the rim
channel 1 SO by
forming the water discharge slit 1 S6 in a vertical wall 160 of the xim
channel 150. As a result,
flush water discharged through the water discharge slit 1 S6 continues to flow
in a horizontal
direction and consequently does not lose kinetic energy as would result if the
flush water
impinged upon a vertical wall after complete flow through the rim channel I
S0.
Figure 20 illustrates the configuration of the toilet bowl 20. Figures 20
illustrates that the
toilet bowl 20 has sufficient depth and is wide enough to have a Iarge enough
water spot so as to
not collect too much water.
At the completion of the flush process, the flush water and waste material
pass through
the siphon jet 30 into the trapway 40 which Ieads to the sewage line. As is
shown in Fig. 'l, the
trapway 40 has a first weir area 162 which connects to a first upwardly
inclined trapway section
164. The length of the first trapway section 164 is minimized such that the
standing water in the
sump, first weir area 162 and first trapway section 164 is approximately 0.475
liters (see Fig.
21 ). The first trapway section 164 leads to a downwardly inclined second
trapway section I 66
which, as shown in Figure 21, has a slope which is directed to the bowl at an
angle of
CA 02495973 2005-02-18
WO 2004/020753 PCT/US2003/026287
approximately 30°. A second weir area 168 is provided at a discharge
end 169 of the second
trapway section 166. The trapway 40 next slopes upwardly in a third trapway
section 170 which
connects to a generally vertically oriented and downwardly depending fourth
trapway section
172 which is connected to the sewage line 31. In the preferred embodiment, the
toilet bowl 20
and trapway 40 store approximately 1.9 liters of water.
In accordance with one of the advantages of the present invention, the trapway
40 has no
reduction in cross-section throughout its entire length. In one preferred
embodiment, each of the
sections of the trapway 40 has a diameter throughout its entire length of up
to approximately 2.5
inches. As a result, waste which is less than 2 I/2" in diameter can pass
therethrough without
clogging the trapway. Therefore, if any waste material goes into the trapway
40, it passes
therethrough because the trapway 40 has no reduction of cross section. If any
clogging takes
place in the toilet 10 of the present invention, the clogging will occur in
the sump and can be
easily cleaned without cable or plumber assistance. Moreover, due to the lack
of reduction in the
diameter of the trapway, an anti-clogging cable can easily pass therethrough.
'therefore, the
trapway design herein provides for outstanding waste removal capacity.
Moreover, this. trapway
design provides for a discharge rate into the sewage line of 4.2 liters/sec.
Therefore, the total water usage per cycle of this toilet is 5.7 liters with
4.5 liters going
into flush and 1.2 liters into refill. The amount of fresh residual water in
the sump after a flush
operation is 0.7 liters.
Figures 22-24 illustrate another embodiment of a toilet in accordance with the
teachings
of the present invention which achieves a similar flushing operation to that
of Figures 1-3. In
this embodiment, flush water flows through the rim channel 24a (designated by
arrow H) and
flush water flows through the jet channel 29a (designated by arrow I) in
opposite directions after
26
CA 02495973 2005-02-18
WO 2004/020753 PCT/US2003/026287
being discharged from the transitional pathway 22a. Although the flush water
paths are directed
in this manner, hydraulic losses have been found to be minimal.
Figure 25 illustrates another water flow path for a toilet in accordance with
the present
invention wherein water flow is directed in the same direction (see arrows J
and I~) into the rim
channel 24b and the direct jet channel 29b. In this embodiment, a portion 176
of the transitional
pathway 22b is formed of a plastic insert.
Figures 26 and 27 illustrate that the transitional pathway and the direct j et
pathway are at
least in part formed of a plastic insert, such as 180. A first hole 182 is
provided in the plastic
insert 180 such that flush water is directed to the rim channel 24. A second
hole 184 is provided
at the end of the insert 180 so that flush water can be directed into the base
of the bowl.
Hydraulic losses, as appear in the water flow path of Figure 28, are
alleviated by providing a
smooth channel, the plastic insert 180, to transfer jet water from the valve
inlet 110 to the inlet
184 of the jet channel 29 around the bowl. This smooth non-turbulent flow is
enhanced by using
plastic, rubber or some other material insert as compared to the more
turbulent flow experienced
in the water flow path of Figure 28. By fitting the insert into a finished
China toilet, an ease of
manufacturing results as well as a more efficient and Iess expensive assembly.
Accordingly, for those reasons set forth above, a toilet has been designed
which achieves
a greater energy throughput in comparison to existing toilets to thereby
provide more flush water
energy to remove waste from the toilet bowl. In addition, the toilet meets
governmental agency
requirements which mandate a minimum "hold-down" duration of the flush Iever
of one second
and a maximum water usage of 1.6 gallons (6 Iiters)lflush. Moreover, the
toilet of the present
invention enhances the flow characteristics and flow capacity of the flush
wafer and provides a
27
CA 02495973 2005-02-18
WO 2004/020753 PCT/US2003/026287
flushing operation which is completed in approximately 2.5 seconds (see Figure
29). Further,
the trapway design of the toilet reduces the chances of clogging.
Although the invention has been particularly shown and described with
references to
certain preferred embodiments, it will be readily appreciated by those or
ordinary skill in the art
that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing
from the spirit
and scope of the invention. It is intended that the appended claims be
interpreted as including
the foregoing as well as various other such changes and modifications.
28
