AU741699B2 - A cistern inlet valve arrangement - Google Patents

Description

.I S F Ref: 456265

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT e I r r~ o r

ORIGINAL

Name and Address of Applicant: Caroma Industries Limited Market Street Brisbane Queensland 4000

AUSTRALIA

John Joseph Eagle c~ Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: Spruson Ferguson, Patent Attorneys Level 33 St Martins Tower, 31 Market Street Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia A Cistern Inlet Valve Arrangement ASSOCIATED PROVISIONAL APPLICATION DETAILS [313 Application No(s) [331 Country PP3605 AU [32] Application Date 20 May 1998 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- 5815 A CISTERN INLET VALVE ARRANGEMENT The present invention relates to cistern inlet valve arrangement and, in particular, to a cistern inlet valve arrangement which in combination with the cistern enables conventional metal flush valves to be replaced.

Conventional metal flush valves are widely used in public urinals and cubicles in order to flush urinals and pans at a high usage rate. In particular, the flush valves are directly connected to the mains supply without any intervening cistern and therefore permit the pan or urinal to be flushed directly from the mains and re-flushed essentially immediately.

However, such metal flush valves are expensive items costing approximately A$500-600 each.

It is the object of the present invention to provide an alternative flushing arrangement which is of relatively low cost but which will still permit an acceptably high flushing rate for sequential flushes to be achieved.

S: 20 In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a cistern inlet valve arrangement comprising a cistern having a flush outlet, a plurality of inlets, and a like plurality of inlet valves each adapted for connection to mains water supply and each adapted to open in response to water within said cistern dropping below a first predetermined level and close in response to water within said cistern rising above a second predetermined level, said second level being higher than said first level.

Preferably only two inlet valves are used and the cistern refills at approximately twice the conventional rate. Preferably the cistern is a dual flush cistern.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention a method of quickly refilling a cistern following a flush of the cistern being initiated, said method comprising the steps of: [I:DAYLIB\LIBD]02492.doc:jmt a) allowing the water level within said cistern to drop to a first predetermined level lower than a second predetermined level at which said cistern is substantially full, b) opening a plurality of inlet valves, each of said valves connected to mains water supply, to simultaneously supply said cistern with water via all of said valves, and c) closing said plurality of inlet valves when the level of water within said cistern rises to said second predetermined level.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the oo 15 drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a lavatory pan fitted with a first style of conventional metal flush valve, Fig. 2 is a side view of the cistern and pan arrangement of the preferred embodiment, *oo.

o [1 :DAYLIB\LIBD]02492.doc:jmt -2- Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the mounting arrangement for the cistern within the frame wall of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of the interior of the cistern of Figs. 2 and 3.

As seen in Fig. 1, a conventional metal flush valve 1 is mounted in a cubicle 2 so as to flush a pan 3. The flush valve 1 is provided with a handle 4 and directly connects the pan 3 with the mains supply (not illustrated). Every time the handle 4 is operated the pan 3 is flushed and because the valve 1 is connected to the mains supply the handle 4 may be repeatedly operated and the pan repeatedly flushed in very quick sequence.

The rapid flushing capability is particularly important in public lavatories where in some circumstances, such as "half time" and like recesses in sporting events, pans and urinals may be called upon to be flushed at 30 second intervals.

There are other types of metal flush valve which are substantially similar but which themselves are hidden from view behind the rear wall of the cubicle 2, only an operating button being visible to the user.

Since the cost of such metal flush valve is approximately A$500-600, the metal S* flush valve represents a very substantial item in such installations.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in Fig. 2 "where the pan 3 is substantially as before but is mounted in front of a frame wall 6 20 within which is mounted a narrow cistern 7 which is connected via a flush pipe 8 to the pan 3. Preferably the cistern is that described in Australian Patent No. 673,292, granted to the present applicant, and Figs. 2 and 3 hereof substantially replicate Figs. 1 and 3 of that patent.

In particular, as seen in Fig. 3, the cistern 7 is mounted between a pair of brackets 10 each of which is secured to a corresponding stud 11.

"i Turning now to Fig. 4, the interior of the cistern 7 is illustrated. The cistern is provided with a substantially conventional flushing mechanism 13 which is preferably a dual flush flushing mechanism able to be operated by means of buttons 14 (Fig. 2).

Between the flushing mechanism 13 and a spigot 15 which leads to the flush pipe 8 of Fig. 2 is located a flush valve 16 which is operable by the flushing mechanism 13.

Full details of the flushing mechanism 13, flush buttons 14 and flush valve 16 are disclosed in Australian Patent No. 673,959 granted to the present applicant.

Two inlet valves 20, 21 are located one on either side of the cistern 7. The inlet valves 20, 21 are preferably of the type described in the present applicant's Australian Patent No. 673,762 and incorporate the float arm interconnection mechanism which is disclosed in the present applicant's Australian Patent No. 687,587 and also preferably incorporate the float described in the present applicant's Australian Patent No. 692,900.

(N:\liboolOl 342:GJH As a consequence of utilising the abovementioned patented technology, the inlet valves 20, 21 are very compact and are able to fit in the restricted space provided between the flushing mechanism 13 and the side walls of the cistern 7. Both inlet valves 20, 21 are arranged to be positioned at the same height and thus both operate to open and close the inlets at corresponding predetermined water heights within the cistern.

Experimental results to date indicate that provided the pipework leading into the inlet valves 20, 21 is not in any way constricted, then the rate at which each inlet valve allows water into the cistern 7 is the normal rate as if it were the only inlet valve.

As a consequence, the cistern 7 fills at approximately twice the normal rate and this enhanced rate is sufficient to enable the cistern 7 to be repeatedly flushed with the requisite rapidity. Typically the refilling time is in the range of from 15 seconds to 20 seconds for a mains supply pressure in the range of from 700 kpa to 300 kpa.

A major advantage of the above described arrangement is that the total cost of 15 the cistern and two inlet valves which are all fabricated from plastics is approximately A$200-250 which is therefore approximately half the cost of the conventional metal S. flush valve 1.

The foregoing describes only one embodiment of the present invention and modifications, obvious to those skilled in the art, can be made thereto without departing 20 from the scope of the present invention. For example, the inlet valves 20, 21 can be arranged to be supplied with water either through a side wall of the cistern 7 or via the top of the cistern 7 as is well known to those skilled in the sanitaryware arts.

The term "comprising" as used herein is used in the inclusive sense of "having" or "including" and not in the exclusive sense of "consisting only of".

.ooo*i IN:\libooOl0 342:GJH

Claims (14)

1. A cistern inlet valve arrangement comprising a cistern having a flush outlet, a plurality of inlets, and a like plurality of inlet valves each adapted for connection to mains water supply and each adapted to open in response to water within said cistern droping below a first predetermined level and close in response to water within said cistern rising above a second predetermined level, said second level being higher than said first level.

2. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 and having two said inlets and two said inlet valves.

3. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein each said inlet valve is *connected to the same mains water supply. S: 15 4. The arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 1-3 wherein said cistern is a •go• dual flush cistern having first means to deliver a substantially full flush and second means oo* to deliver a substantially half flush.

5. The arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 1-4 wherein said second level 20 corresponds to said cistern being substantially full.

6. The arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 1-5 wherein said cistern is substantially as claimed in any one of the claims of Australian Patent No. 673,292.

7. The arrangement as claimed in claim 4 or any one of claims 5 or 6 when dependent upon claim 4, wherein said first and second means are substantially as claimed in any one of the claims of Australian Patent No. 673,959.

8. The arrangement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein each of said inlet valves is substantially as claimed in Australian Patent 673,762.

9. The arrangement as claimed in claim 8 wherein each said inlet valve incorporates a float arm interconnection mechanism as claimed in any one of the claims of Australian Patent No. 987,587. [I:\DAYLIB3\LIBD]02492.doc:jmt U U U U The arrangement as claimed in claim 8 or 9 wherein each of said inlet valves incorporates a float as claimed in any one of the claims of Australian Patent No. 692,900.

11. A cistern inlet valve arrangement substantially as described herein with reference to Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings.

12. A cistern having a cistern inlet valve arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 1-11.

13. A cistern substantially as described herein with reference to Figs. 2-4 of the accompanying drawings.

14. A method of quickly refilling a cistern following a flush of the cistern being initiated, said method comprising the steps of: a) allowing the water level within said cistern to drop to a first predetermined level lower than a second predetermined level at which said cistern is substantially full, b) opening a plurality of inlet valves, each of said valves connected to mains water supply, to simultaneously supply said cistern with water via all of said valves, and c) closing said plurality of inlet valves when the level of water within said cistern rises to said second predetermined level. The method as claimed in claim 14 wherein two inlets constitute said plurality of inlets and two inlet valves constitute said plurality of inlet valves.

16. The method as claimed in claim 14 or 15 comprising the further step of simultaneously supplying all said inlet valves from a common mains supply. [IADAYLIB\LIBD]02492.docjmt

17. A method of quickly refilling a cistern following a flush of the cistern being initiated, said method being substantially as herein described with reference to Figs. 2-4 of the accompanying drawings. Dated 11 October 2001 Caroma Industries Limited Patent Attorneys for the Applicant/Nominated Person SPRUSON&FERGUSON *e o *o *e* [I:\DAYLB\LIBD]02492.doc:jmt