AU2005200124A1 - Hand-Basin Cistern - Google Patents

Description

P001 Section 29 Regulation 3.2(2)

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Application Number: Lodged: Invention Title: Hand-Basin Cistern The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: WATER SAVING TOILET CISTERN The present invention is generally directed to bathroom and washroom equipment, and in particular to toilet cisterns.

Toilet cisterns available here in Australia are normally connected directly to the water mains. Therefore, high quality potable water is typically used to flush toilets. In order to limit the amount of water used by toilet cisterns, new toilet cisterns are now provided with both a half flush and a full flush button on the top of the cistern. Less water is used when the half flush button is pressed.

It would however be advantageous to be able to utilise water from another source that would otherwise be wasted. It is not uncommon for a small hand washing unit in the form of a small wash basin and tap assembly to be provided close to the toilet so that the occupant can conveniently wash their hands.

One way of allowing the water used from the hand washing unit in the toilet cistern is to locate the hand washing unit on top of the cistern. Therefore, any water used to wash one's hands in the hand washing unit drains directly into the cistern and then forms part of the water used in flushing. Another advantage of this arrangement is that less space is required to install such a combined hand washing unit/cistern. Water can be discharged from a water nozzle located in the hand washing unit during flushing of the toilet. Such systems are available in Japan, with a small wash bowl and a water nozzle located on the top of the cistern. The wash bowl is very small in size however, and it is therefore difficult for Westerners with relatively larger hands to use the basin. Also, the washing water can be easily splashed from the wash bowl due to its small size. This limits the total amount of wash water entering the toilet cistern from the wash bowl.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved water saving toilet cistern.

With this in mind, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a toilet cistern including: a tank for accommodating a toilet flushing system; a hand washing unit supported on and forming the top of the tank, the hand washing unit including a wash bowl having an outlet in communication with the tank, and a splashback panel located at the rear of the wash bowl and extending upwards therefrom.

The provision of the splashback panel allows water splashed thereon to drain into the wash bowl and to the wash bowl outlet.

The surface of the wash bowl and the front surface of the splashback panel may provide an at least substantially continuous.

The continuous surface may form a smooth curved surface for providing the wash bowl, the front surface of the splashback panel extending smoothly from the curved surface at the rear portion of the wash bowl. The splashback panel surface may extend upwards away from the bowl, and may be generally inclined at an angle to a vertical plane.

The provision of a continuous surface between the wash bowl and the splashback panel without any sharp changes in surface angle helps to maximise the volume of the wash bowl in the limited space provided on the top of the cistern. Also, any water splashed onto the splashback panel can easily drain into the wash bowl outlet. This maximises the water that can be delivered to the tank of the cistern. The use of a continuous surface also makes it easier to keep the hand washing unit clean. The surface of the hand washing unit may also be relatively smooth to minimise the amount of dirt trapped on the surface.

A water nozzle may preferably be mounted on and extend from an uppermost portion of the splashback panel. This helps to ensure that there is more space in and above the wash bowl to wash one's hands, the water nozzle not providing an obstruction in this area.

The control button(s) or lever(s) for actuating the flushing mechanism may be located on a side or front portion of the tank thereby allowing the hand washing unit to be located on the top of the tank.

The hand washing unit may be made of a plastic material to reduce the overall weight of the hand washing unit. Preferably the cistern may also be made from a plastic material. The plastic material may for example be polypropylene.

The toilet cistern according to the present invention has a number of advantages. Firstly, water entering the wash bowl is drained directly into the tank of the cistern, this water forming part of the water for flushing the toilet. This leads to further savings of water.

Furthermore, the provision of the splashback panel eliminates the need for any other water resistant surface to be provided on the wall surface to which the toilet cistern is mounted. The splashing of water from the wash bowl to the surrounding area is minimised or eliminated by the provision of the splashback panel. Furthermore, the location of the water nozzle on the splashback panel provides for a more open area within the wash bowl making it easier to wash one's hands in that bowl.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hand washing unit for a toilet cistern having a tank, the hand washing unit being supportable on the top of the tank, the hand washing unit including a wash bowl having an outlet in communication with the tank, and a splashback panel located at the rear of the wash bowl and extending upwards therefrom.

It will be convenient to further describe the invention with respect to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the toilet cistern according to the present invention. Other embodiments of the invention are possible, and consequently, the particularity of the accompanying drawings is not to be understood as superseding the generality of the preceding description of the invention.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front cross-sectional view of a toilet cistern according to the present invention; and Figure 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the hand washing unit of Figure 1.

Figures 1 and 2 respectively show different cross-sectional views of a toilet cistern 1 and hand washing unit 5 according to the present invention. The cistern 1 includes a tank 3 within which a toilet flushing system 4 is accommodated.

Water used for flushing the toilet is also accommodated within the tank 3.

On top of the tank 3 is located a hand washing unit 5. The hand washing unit includes a wash bowl 9 having a water outlet 7 and a splashback panel 11 located towards the rear of the wash bowl 9 of the hand washing unit 5. The surface of the wash bowl 9 follows a continuous curve 12 from the front to the rear of the wash bowl as shown in Figure 2. The wash bowl 9 also extends in a continuous curve between opposing sides of the wash bowl 9 as shown in Figure 1. The front surface 16 of the splashback panel 11 forms a continuous surface with the wash bowl 9 with no sharp changes in surface angle as shown in Figure 2, the front surface 12 extending upwardly and inclined at angle to a vertical plane as shown in Figure 2. This helps to maximise the volume of the wash bowl 9.

Furthermore, the splashback panel 11 acts to protect the wall behind the cistern 1 from water splashed from the wash bowl 9. Any water splashed onto the splashback panel 11 can readily drain into the wash bowl 9 because of the continuous surface 12, 16 provided by the wash bowl 9 and splashback panel 11.

A water nozzle 13 is located at an uppermost portion of the splashback panel 11. This maximises the space within and above the wash bowl 9 to facilitate the washing of one's hands in the hand washing unit The controls 17 for actuating the flushing mechanism can be located on a side or front portion of the tank 3.

The hand washing unit 5 is made from a plastic material such as polypropylene. As well as reducing the overall weight of the hand washing unit this facilitates the production of a continuous surface 12, 16 between the wash bowl 9 and the splashback panel 11. The surface texture may also be relatively smooth to facilitate the cleaning of the hand washing unit

Claims (7)

1. A toilet cistern including: a tank for accommodating a toilet flushing system; a hand washing unit supported on and forming the top of the tank, the hand washing unit including a wash bowl having an outlet in communication with the tank, and a splashback panel located at the rear of the wash bowl and extending upwards therefrom.

2. A toilet cistern according to claim 1, wherein the surface of the wash bowl and the front surface of the splashback panel provides an at least substantially continuous surface.

3. A toilet cistern according to claim 2, the continuous surface forming a smooth curved surface for providing the wash bowl, and extending upwardly away from the bowl at an angle to a vertical plane.

4. A toilet cistern according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hand washing unit further includes a water nozzle mounted on and extending from an uppermost portion of the splashback panel.

A toilet cistern substantially as hereinbefore described with respect to what is shown in the accompanying drawings.

6. A hand washing unit for a toilet cistern having a tank, the hand washing unit being supportable on the top of the tank, the hand washing unit including a wash bowl having an outlet in communication with the tank, and a splashback panel located on the rear of the wash bowl and extending upwards therefrom.

7. A hand washing unit for a toilet cistern substantially as hereinbefore described with respect to what is shown in the accompanying drawings. DATED this 12th day of January 2005 ROYAL FLUSH (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD WATERMARK PATENT TRADE MARK ATTORNEYS 290 BURWOOD ROAD HAWTHORN VICTORIA 3122 AUSTRALIA