GB2315282A

GB2315282A - Bidet fitting for a toilet

Info

Publication number: GB2315282A
Application number: GB9614890A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Narinder Singh Jagdev
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-07-16
Filing date: 1996-07-16
Publication date: 1998-01-28
Also published as: GB9614890D0

Abstract

An appliance enabling a water closet to be used as a bidet, comprises a housing (16,17) for connection to the water closet bowl (10), an inlet (13) for water, an outlet (27), and valve means (22).

Description

Title: SANITARY APPLIANCE Description of Invention This invention relates to an appliance for enabling a conventional water closet bowl to be used for personal hygiene purposes, somewhat in the manner of a bidet.

Many premises are not provided with a bidet. Although occupants or users of a building might wish to make use of a bidet if one were provided, such use is not possible if the appliance is not present. The installation of a bidet requires significant building and plumbing work to be carried out, and in many buildings this is not possible because of lack of space. Accordingly it is the object of the present invention to provide an appliance which enables a conventional water closet to be used somewhat in the manner of a bidet.

According to the present invention, we provide an appliance comprising a housing, means by which the housing can be attached to a water closet bowl, an inlet for water, an outlet for directing water into an upper region of the water closet bowl, and valve means in the housing for controlling flow of water from the inlet to the outlet.

Preferably the inlet comprises a connector for releasable connection of a water supply pipe thereto. The connector may be adapted to have a flexible pipe or hose engaged therewith, so that a connection to a water supply may be made without the necessity of plumbing work involving installation of a rigid pipe or pipes.

Preferably the appliance comprises means for providing a supply of water to the inlet, which means is in the form of a said flexible pipe or hose. It is envisaged that an appliance in accordance with the invention will usually be supplied as a kit of parts including such a flexible pipe or hose and a T-piece connector for connection into a water pipe leading to a flushing cistern for the water closet bowl.

According to another aspect of the invention we provide such a kit of parts.

The outlet may comprise a nozzle for directing water generally into the centre of the bowl at its upper region, e.g. level with or slightly below the rim thereof.

Conveniently the housing of the appliance comprises a base portion and a cover portion, the portions being fastened together by cooperating formations thereon. The base portion of the housing preferably comprises a base plate having a part which is not covered by the cover portion, which part is provided with apertures which provide for attachment of the appliance to a water closet bowl by the fastenings which characteristically are used to secure a seat assembly to the water closet bowl.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an appliance in accordance with the invention, fitted to a water closet bowl; Figure 2 is a plan view of the appliance, with its cover portion removed.

In the drawings, a water closet bowl is indicated at 10. It has an upper rim 11 at a rear portion of which is a formation 12 provided with apertures for receiving fasteners for securing a seat assembly to the bowl. Lugs forming part of such a seat assembly are shown at 13: they provide for pivoting of a seat and cover about an axis 14.

The appliance in accordance with the invention, indicated generally at 15, comprises a housing which has a base portion 16 and a cover portion 17. The base portion 16 is a plate which is generally rectangular in shape and has two spaced apertures 18 through which fasteners securing the seat assembly to the water closet bowl pass, with the base plate held to the bowl by the seat assembly and thereby securing the appliance to the water closet bowl.

The cover portion 17 of the housing, shown in outline in Figure 1, comprises an end part 19 and a part 21 extending from the end part 19 along an edge of the base plate 16 behind the apertures 18 therein. The cover portion 17 is secured to the base plate 16 by interfitting with ribs 20 upstanding from the latter, and may have cooperating formations which provide a snap fit of the cover portion 17 to the base plate 16. Within the part 19 of the cover portion there is disposed a water valve 22 which has a water inlet fitting 23 and a manually operable handle 24 for controlling flow of water through the valve. From the valve 22 a short length 25 of flexible tubing extends to an angle piece 26 from which extends an outlet pipe 27. The outlet pipe 27 passes beneath the axis 14 and ends towards the centre of the water closet bowl, substantially level with the rim 11.

The water inlet fitting 23 is of a type for push-on connection of a flexible hose 28, the hose being retained on the fitting by a hose clip. The other end of the flexible hose would be provided with a T-piece connector for connection to a water supply pipe, e.g. the pipe which delivers water to the cistern which is characteristically provided for flushing the water closet. To comply with water company regulations, a non-return valve may be provided in the T-piece or water inlet fitting.

The invention thus provides an appliance which can be fitted to the bowl of a water closet in a simple manner without requiring major plumbing operations, and when fitted enables the water closet to be used for personal hygiene purposes in the manner of a bidet.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following clairns, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

1. An appliance comprising a housing, means by which the housing can be attached to a water closet bowl, an inlet for water, an outlet for directing water into an upper region of the water closet bowl, and valve means in the housing for controlling flow of water from the inlet to the outlet.

2. An appliance according to Claim 1 wherein the inlet comprises a connector for releasable connection of a water supply pipe thereto.

3. An appliance according to Claim 2 wherein the connector is adapted to have a flexible pipe or hose engaged therewith.

4. An appliance according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the outlet comprises a nozzle for directing water generally into the centre of a water closet bowl in the upper region thereof.

5. An appliance according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the housing comprises a base portion and a cover portion.

6. An appliance according to Claim 5 wherein said base portion comprises a base plate having a part not covered by the cover portion and having apertures providing for attachment of the appliance to a water closet bowl.

7. A kit of parts comprising an appliance according to Claim 3 or any claim appendant thereto, a flexible pipe or hose connected or adapted for connection to said connector, and a T-piece connector for-connection with a water supply pipe.

8. A water closet bowl having an appliance according to any one of Claims 1 to 6 attached thereto.

9. A water closet bowl according to Claim 8 and as appendant to Claim 6, wherein said apertures receive fastenings attaching a seat to the bowl.

10. An appliance or installation thereof substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11. Any novel feature or novel combination of features described herein and/or in the accompanying drawings.