EP2650450B1

EP2650450B1 - Dispenser device of a service liquid for a flushing tank

Info

Publication number: EP2650450B1
Application number: EP13398005.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Rogério De Almeida Martins Antunes
Original assignee: Oliveira and Irmao SA
Current assignee: Oliveira and Irmao SA
Priority date: 2012-04-12
Filing date: 2013-04-11
Publication date: 2016-11-09
Anticipated expiration: 2033-04-11
Also published as: EP2650450A8; EP2650450A1; ES2614048T3; ITMI20120600A1

Description

The present invention relates to a dispenser device for dispensing a service liquid, for example a hygienization liquid, in a water stream discharged from a flushing tank for sanitary appliances.
In general, a flushing tank for sanitary appliances (WC, urinals, etcetera) is provided with a flushing valve, which is actuated for discharging the water contained in the tank into a bowl of the sanitary appliance to be flushed, and with a feeding mechanism which fills the tank, up to a predetermined level, after each actuation of the flushing valve.
Some flushing tanks are provided with detergent and/or hygienization systems, through which a detergent/hygienization liquid is added to the tank water which is discharged into the bowl.
For example, DE1609279A1 and DE1609286A1 disclose dispenser devices comprising a mixing chamber, containing service liquid, and a siphon system that connects the chamber with the drain conduit of the tank; when water is discharged from the tank, an amount of liquid is added to the water through the siphon system.
The known systems have some improvement margins, especially in terms of efficacy, reliability and implementation and use simplicity.
The object of the present invention is to provide a dispenser device which is particularly simple, effective and reliable for dispensing a service liquid, for example a hygienization liquid, in a water stream discharged from a flushing tank for sanitary appliances.
The present invention therefore relates to a dispenser device for dispensing a service liquid, in particular a hygienization liquid, in a water stream discharged from a flushing tank for sanitary appliances, as defined in essential terms in the appended claim 1.
The invention further relates to a flushing valve assembly of a flushing tank and to a flushing tank comprising such device, as defined in claims 9 and 11, respectively.
The dispenser device according to the invention allows, in a particularly simple, effective and reliable manner, the service liquid (e.g. detergent/hygienization liquid) to be dispensed in the water stream discharged from the flushing tank; in particular, the device of the invention is very simple and reliable since it is free from movable parts and complex mechanisms.
The device of the invention also prevents problems associated with service liquid leaks and blow-by; moreover, with the device of the invention, the service liquid is dispensed to the bowl of the sanitary appliance premixed with the tank water, which water also ensures the washing of the mixing chamber at the end of each flushing and before each subsequent dispensing of service liquid; in this way, a stream of service liquid is also prevented from escaping from the device in the final flushing step, with consequent forming of unaesthetic traces on the bowl surface.
The invention is described in detail in the following non-limiting embodiment example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 is a simplified partial, longitudinal sectional view of a flushing valve assembly of a flushing tank for sanitary appliances comprising a dispenser device for dispensing a service liquid, in particular a hygienization liquid, in the water stream discharged from the tank, according to the invention;
figure 2 is a simplified perspective view of the flushing valve assembly of figure 1;
figure 3 is an enlarged scale view of a detail of the device shown in figure 1.

In figure 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a dispenser device for dispensing a service liquid, for example (but not necessarily) a detergent and/or hygienization liquid or other type of water treatment liquid, in a flushing water stream of a flushing tank 2 for sanitary appliances.
In particular, device 1 is associated with a flushing valve 3 of tank 2 for dispensing the service liquid in the water stream discharged from tank 2 through the flushing valve 3.
With reference also to figure 2, device 1 and the flushing valve 3 form a flushing valve assembly 4, accommodated into tank 2.
The flushing valve 3 is per se known and is only schematically shown in figure 1; in general terms, the flushing valve 3 comprises a support structure 5, a cursor 6 vertically sliding along an axis X and supported by structure 5, and an actuating mechanism 7 acting on cursor 6.
Structure 5 may be connected to a bottom wall 8 of tank 2 via, for example, a drain sleeve 9 which is inserted in an opening 10 formed in the bottom wall 8 and delimits a drain hole 11 of tank 2; drain sleeve 9 is provided with a top annular edge which defines a sealing seat 12.
Cursor 6 extends along axis X and slides in a guide 13 formed on structure 5; in the example shown, cursor 6 comprises a stem and or a closed tubular body (instead, in a variant not shown, cursor 6 comprises an open tubular body which also acts as overflow tube for tank 2).
Cursor 6 is inferiorly provided with a shutter 14 cooperating with the sealing seat 12 for closing the drain hole 11; cursor 6 is lifted by mechanism 7, substantially known and only partially shown in figures 1 and 2.
Device 1 comprises a mixing chamber 15, containing in use an amount of service liquid, a connection conduit 16 which connects chamber 15 with drain hole 11, and a siphon system 17 which further connects chamber 15 with conduit 16.
In the non-limiting example shown, chamber 15 is defined within a tubular element 18 extending along an axis A (parallel to axis X and vertical in use) and inserted in a radially outer casing 19 which surrounds the tubular element 18; in particular, the tubular element 18 comprises a top portion 20, which is inferiorly delimited by a bottom wall 21 and in which chamber 15 is obtained, and an end tube 22, which projects from the bottom wall 21 downwards in a bottom space 23 formed into casing 19; the bottom wall 21 separates chamber 15 from space 23; chamber 15 and space 23 communicate through conduit 16 and siphon system 17.
The tubular element 18 is open at the top and being connected with the drain hole 11, it also acts as overflow tube for tank 2.
The tubular element 18 has an inlet 24, for example formed in a lateral wall of the top portion 20 of the tubular element 18; inlet 24 may be connected, for example through a feeding tube, with a reservoir (not shown) containing the service liquid.
Casing 19 has a bottom end 26 provided with a lateral channel 27 connected with the drain hole 11 and exactly with a branch opening 28 formed in drain sleeve 9 and which makes up a first end 29 of conduit 16.
The branch opening 28 is formed downstream (i.e. axially further down) of sealing seat 12 and of shutter 14.
With reference also to figure 3, chamber 15 is a substantially annular cup-shaped chamber and is formed about axis A and a central tube 30 which extends along axis A; chamber 15 has a radially outer lateral wall 31, a radially inner lateral wall 32 and a partition wall 33, set between walls 31, 32 and which delimits two concentric annular zones 34, 35; chamber 15 is inferiorly delimited by the bottom wall 21, which inferiorly joins walls 31, 32 and is provided with a central opening 36, delimited by a peripheral edge 37 and in which the central tube 30 is inserted, radially spaced apart from edge 37.
Walls 31, 32, 33 extend about axis A and are coaxial with respect to each other and to the central tube 30 and are radially spaced apart from each other and separated by the annular zones 34, 35; the radially inner lateral wall 32 is radially spaced apart from the central tube 30 and with it delimits an annular channel 38 which forms, together with the annular zones 34, 35, the siphon system 17.
The radially inner lateral wall 32 projects from edge 37 upwards into chamber 15.
The partition wall 33 projects downwards from a radial flange 39 which extends from a top end 40 of the central tube 30; the partition wall 33 has a bottom free end edge 41 which is axially spaced apart from the bottom wall 21, as well as the radially inner lateral wall 32 has a top free end edge 42 which is axially spaced apart from flange 39.
The central tube 30 extends through opening 36 into chamber 15 and also projects beneath opening 36. The top end 40 of the central tube 30 also makes up a second end, opposite to the first end 29, of conduit 16; end 40 is provided with an auxiliary opening 43 communicating with mixing chamber 15; the siphon system 17 communicates with conduit 16 through the annular channel 38 and thus at a lower level than the auxiliary opening 43.
The end tube 22, arranged about the central tube 30, projects from a bottom face of the bottom wall 21 and from the peripheral edge 37 of opening 36; the end tube 22 has an open bottom end 44 communicating with space 23 and preferably flared outwards and downwards.
In use, with tank 2 full and ready to carry out a flushing, tank 2 contains water to an initial level L1; chamber 15 contains an amount of service liquid, which exactly occupies the two annular spaces 34, 35 to a level L2 defined by the top free end edge 42 of the radially inner lateral wall 32; the rest of the tubular element 18 and space 23 are empty.
When the water of tank 2 is discharged by actuating the flushing valve 3 (by lifting cursor 6 and shutter 14 through mechanism 7 for opening the drain hole 11), the water outflows from tank 2 through the drain hole 11.
The water stream that flows into drain sleeve 9 goes back up into conduit 16 by the communicating vessel principle for filling device 1; in particular, water crosses the lateral channel 27 and then goes back up into space 23 and in the end tube 22 and penetrates into the mixing chamber 15 through the annular channel 38 and through the central tube 30.
The water fills chamber 15 where it mixes with the service liquid contained in it.
While the water level into tank 2 continues to decrease, the water penetrated into device 1 starts flowing out, returning towards the drain hole 11, through conduit 16 and precisely through the siphon system 17. The siphon system 17 ensures a significant emptying of chamber 15; in fact, the stream that outflows through the end tube 22 causes a vacuum which by siphon effect sucks the liquid contained into chamber 15; water flowing out of device 1 draws the service liquid with it.
At the end of the flushing, when the flushing valve 3 closes again, the water in device 1 only remains in chamber 15, substantially to a level L3, defined by the bottom free end edge 41 of the partition wall 33.
A new amount of service liquid is dispensed through inlet 24 and is collected into chamber 15, where it mixes up with water already present in chamber 15 (where it reaches level L3) and fills chamber 15 up to level L2.
Finally, it is understood that several changes and variations may be made to the device described and shown without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

A dispenser device (1) for dispensing a service liquid in a water stream discharged from a flushing tank (2) for sanitary appliances, the device (1) extending substantially along an axis (A) and comprising a mixing chamber (15), containing in use an amount of service liquid, a connection conduit (16) that connects the chamber (15) with a branch opening (28) communicating in use with a drain hole (11) of the tank (2), and a siphon system (17) that connects the chamber (15) with the conduit (16); the device (1) being characterized in that the chamber (15) is substantially cup-shaped and has a top free end edge (42), set adjacent to a channel (38) that connects the siphon system (17) to the conduit (16) and defines a first level (L2) reached by the service liquid in the chamber (15); and a bottom free end edge (41), that is axially spaced apart from a bottom wall (21) of the chamber (15) and defines a second level (L3) reached by residual liquid in the chamber (15) after emptying of the chamber (15).
A device according to claim 1, wherein the branch opening (28) is set at a first end (29) of the conduit (16) and communicates in use with a drain sleeve (9) provided with the drain hole (11); the conduit (16) having a second end (40), opposite to the first end (29) and provided with an auxiliary opening (43) communicating with the chamber (15); the siphon system (17) communicating with the conduit (16) at a level lower than the auxiliary opening (43).
A device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the conduit (16) and the siphon system (17) define an hydraulic path that, in use, brings water from the branch opening (28) to the chamber (15) and discharges water mixed with service liquid from the chamber (15) to the branch opening (28) and hence to the drain hole (11).
A device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the chamber (15) is a substantially annular chamber formed about the axis (A) and about a central tube (30) of the device that extends along the axis (A).
A device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said channel (38) is an annular channel and the siphon system (17) is formed by said annular channel (38) and two annular zones (34, 35) that extend about the axis (A) and are concentric and coaxial.
A device according to claim 4, wherein the chamber (15) is inferiorly delimited by a bottom wall (21), provided with a central opening (36) that is delimited by a peripheral edge (37) and houses said central tube (30), radially spaced from the peripheral edge (37).
A device according to claim 6, wherein the central tube (30) extends through the central opening (36) in the chamber (15) and projects also beneath the central opening (36).
A device according to claim 7, wherein the central tube (30) is housed inside an end tube (22) of the conduit (16) and is radially spaced from the end tube (22) and separated therefrom by the annular channel (38).
A flushing valve assembly (4) of a flush tank (2), comprising a flushing valve (3) and a dispenser device (1) for dispensing a service liquid, in particular a hygienization liquid, in a water stream discharged from the flushing tank (2) through the flushing valve (3); wherein the device (1) is a device according to any one of the preceding claims.
An assembly according to claim 9, wherein the flushing valve (3) and the device (1) are set side-by-side.
A flush tank (2) for sanitary appliances, comprising a flushing valve (3) and a dispenser device (1) associated to the flushing valve (3) for dispensing a service liquid, in particular a hygienization liquid, in a water stream discharged from the flushing tank (2) through the flushing valve (3); wherein the device (1) is a device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.