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EP 0 705 373 B1 |
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EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
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Mention of the grant of the patent: |
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15.12.1999 Bulletin 1999/50 |
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Date of filing: 17.06.1994 |
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International Patent Classification (IPC)6: E03D 9/08 |
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International application number: |
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PCT/SE9400/601 |
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International publication number: |
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WO 9500/721 (05.01.1995 Gazette 1995/02) |
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SANITARY SPRAY ARRANGEMENT FOR TOILET BOWL
SANITÄRE SPRÜHVORRICHTUNG FÜR KLOSETTSCHÜSSEL
AGENCEMENT D'ATOMISEUR A USAGE SANITAIRE DESTINE AUX CUVETTES DE WC
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Designated Contracting States: |
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CH DE DK FR GB IT LI NL |
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Priority: |
17.06.1993 SE 9302102
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Date of publication of application: |
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10.04.1996 Bulletin 1996/15 |
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Proprietors: |
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- Abrahamson, Anders
S-771 92 Ludvika (SE)
- Svanberg, Joakim
S-113 37 Stockholm (SE)
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Inventors: |
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- Abrahamson, Anders
S-771 92 Ludvika (SE)
- Svanberg, Joakim
S-113 37 Stockholm (SE)
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Representative: Waldinger, Ake |
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Roslinvägen 41 168 51 Bromma 168 51 Bromma (SE) |
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References cited: :
SE-B- 338 022 US-A- 2 852 782 US-A- 4 926 509
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SE-B- 338 022 US-A- 2 852 782 US-A- 4 926 509
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Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European
patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to
the European patent
granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall
not be deemed to
have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent
Convention).
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[0001] The present invention relates to a sanitary spray arrangement to be used in connection
with a conventional toilet bowl and toilet seat. A curved arm provided with a sprayer
head is oscillably mounted by a shaft on the under side of the toilet seat, which
shaft extends in the transverse direction of the toilet seat such that the arm in
a swinged back position is mainly horizontal and extends to the approximate circumference
of the toilet seat with the sprayer head positioned adjacent the middle line of the
toilet seat. The swinging motion is effected by an operating means protruding laterally
from the seat and attached to the arm, which operating means is designed like a handle
which is not only oscillably movable essentially in the vertical plane but also in
the lateral direction.
[0002] A large variety of sanitary spray arrangements of this and similar kinds are priorly
known.
[0003] In some cases the entire toilet bowl is especially designed for the additional usefulness,
which increases the manufacturing costs in an actual manufacturing scale absurdly.
[0004] In other cases it is mainly the toilet seat only that has been modified and completed,
which at least initially would be the only economical possibility to have the arrangement
accepted to a greater extent, and not only as an aid for disabled persons entitled
to social allowance. A sanitary spray attachment for a toilet bowl of this type is
disclosed by US-A 2852782 showing a handle that can be pivoted to the operating position
of the sprayer head, and while holding the handle in this position the handle is movable
in lateral direction for starting and regulating the flow of water. A serious drawback
is, however, that the sprayer head cannot be moved during the spraying operation,
which is necessary.
[0005] Another embodiment is disclosed by US-A-4926509 showing a normal toilet converted
into a bidet. The force of spray is adjusted by moving a lever handle vertically without
altering the the area being washed. The temperature of the water is regulated by moving
the handle in lateral direction, which is of minor value. A drawback is, that the
area being washed cannot be varied at the same time as the force of spray is adjusted.
[0006] It is of course a necessary condition that the arrangement is designed and constructed
such that it is aesthetically and practically attractive and so easy to operate that
even a disabled person or a person having reduced arm or hand muscular strength is
able to operate the arrangement.
[0007] The object of the invention is to produce an arrangement of the kind introductory
mentioned, which for attaining a sufficiently large volume of production is so uncomplicated
and inexpensive to install that it can be accepted not only by non-disabled persons
but for all is so easy to handle that it does not restain persons having reduced ability
to move arms or hands from using it.
[0008] This has been achieved, according to the invention, in that the handle is permitted
during all the movement in the vertical plane to operate a valve for regulating the
flow of water to the sprayer head in proportion to the lateral movement of the handle.
Only a very light touch against the upper part of the handle in the lateral direction
is necessary for regulating the flow of water because the entire length of the handle
serves as a lever arm. This movement can, if necessary, be accomplished by an arm
or elbow.
[0009] It is suitable, in this connection, that the valve is opened against the influence
of a spring force so that the valve closes automatically when the pressure against
the handle in lateral direction ceases, as stated in claim 2. It is also suitable,
for practical reasons, to give the arm supporting the sprayer head a return motion
to the rest position by a spring means when the handle is no more touched.
[0010] The invention is explained more in detail in the following description thereof especially
when viewed in connection with the following drawings in which an embodiment of an
arrangement according to the invention is schematically disclosed. Figure 1 is a top
plan view, partly in section, and Figure 2 is a sectional view along line II-II in
Fig. 1 showing the essential parts of the arrangement.
[0011] The drawings show a conventional toilet seat 1 which is hinged on a conventional
toilet bowl 2. The toilet seat is made of plastics and has comparatively high side
brims 3. A reinforcing plate 4 is attached to the under side of the seat 1, in which
plate a transverse shaft 5 is rotatably mounted in a horizontal position or inclined
about 20-25°, as shown in Fig. 2. A curved arm 6 is secured to the inner end of the
shaft 5, which arm has a free end supporting a sprayer head 7. The other end of the
arm extends a distance off the outer side of the seat 1 and through a valve housing
8 attached to the plate 4. A handle 9 is attached to the shaft 5 on the outer side
of the valve housing. The handle 9 is positioned essentially in the same plane as
the curved arm 6 and pivotable a bit in this plane against the action of a spring-loaded
pin 10 protruding from the valve housing 8 and which, when pushed against the action
of a spring lla opens a valve 11 connected to a water supply tube 12 and to tne sprayer
head 7 via a duct 13 through the shaft 5 and arm 6. The water supply tube 12 is connected
to a temperature regulator 14 attached to for instance the rear part of the toilet
bowl 2 and connected to the water mains.
[0012] The arm 6 is designed such that when the handle 9 is turned forwards and downwards
to the position shown in Fig. 1 the arm 6 follows the inner contour of the seat 1
just inside its inner side brim 3. The handle 9 is now directed straight forward,
and the sprayer head 7 is positioned inside the brim 3 and directed towards it. Before
use of the sprayer device water must be flushed with the right temperature to the
sprayer head 7. This is carried out by pushing the handle 9 laterally so that the
valve 11 is opened. Water starts spraying out from the sprayer head 7 and the water
which hits the inside of the brim 3 is reflected down into the bottom of the toilet
bowl. After a while the water has reached the water temperature regulated by the temperature
regulator and the handle 9 can be turned upwards, suitably with interrupted water
spraying until the sprayer head 7 has reached the right position essentially in the
center of the toilet bowl, as shown in Fig. 2 and with point-dashed lines in Fig.
1.
[0013] Owing to the inclination of the shaft 5 the sprayer head 7 will become a more flat
or shallow path than a horizontal shaft 5 would give rise to. Moreover, the handle
9 will be directed slightly outwards during the turning upwards, which is practical
from considerations of space. When the turning upwards begins it is suitable to have
the water flushing interrupted. With some practice an increasing lateral pressure
on the handle 9 during the turning upwards is obtained by retaining the handle in
the vertical plane, which results in a soft starting of the water flushing from the
sprayer head during the final phase of its movement when the handle has the position
shown by point-dashed lines in Fig. 2, in which position the pin 10 is pushed down
and the valve 11 is open. The water squirts from the sprayer head 7 now are directed
straight upwards. By turning the handle 9 slightly to-and fro the water squirts will
be moved slightly forwards and backwards in a horizontal plane just beneath the under
side of the toilet seat 1 simultaneously with a change of direction because the focusing
point of the squirts owing to the inclination of the shaft 5 is positioned just above
said plane. The shaft 5 is for practical reasons suitably influenced by a spring 5a,
which strives to bring back the arm 6 to its rear, in Fig. 1 shown rest position.
[0014] A sufficient cleaning is achieved in this way of the rectal and genital regions of
the user with a minimum of operating. In order to obtain also a drying of said regions
the toilet seat is, in a manner known per se, provided also with a hot-air sprayer
head 15, which via a flexible tube 16 is connected to an air heating apparatus 17.
[0015] The invention is, of course, not restricted to the embodiment shown here by way of
example only, but various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention
defined by the claims. Hence, the shaft 5 may be horizontal when the seat 1 is in
its horizontal position. Moreover, the valve means may be of the type used in connection
with single-handled mixers but with unused temperature regulating function, which
implies an essential simplification from a manufacturing point of view.
1. A sanitary spray arrangement to be used in connection with a conventional toilet bowl
(2) and toilet seat (1), the under side of the toilet seat (1) being provided with
a curved arm (6) supporting a sprayer head (7) and being pivoted by a shaft (5) extending
in the transverse direction of the toilet seat (1) such that the arm (6) in a swinged
back position is mainly horizontal and extends to the approximate circumference of
the toilet seat (1) with the sprayer head (7) positioned behind a part of a downwards
protruding brim (3) adjacent the middle line of the toilet seat, and the swinging
motion of the arm (6) is effected by an operating means (9) protruding laterally from
the seat and attached to the arm (6), which operating means (9) is designed like a
handle which is not only oscillably movable substantially in the vertical plane but
also in the lateral direction, characterized by the operating means (9) being permitted during its entire movement in the vertical
plane to operate a valve (10,11) for regulating the quantity of flow of water to the
sprayer head (7) in proportion to the lateral movement of the operating means (9).
2. An arrangement according to claim 1, characterized by the valve (10,11) being arranged to be opened against the influence of a spring
(11a) such that closing of the valve is obtained when the lateral pressure against
the operating means (9) ceases.
3. Arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the arm (6) supporting the sprayer head (7) being returned to its rear position
by a spring means (5a) when the operating means (9) is no more operated.
1. Sanitäre Sprühvorrichtung zur Verwendung in Verbindung mit einer konventionellen Toilettenschüssel
(2) und einem konventionellen Toilettensitz (1), dessen Unterseite mit einem gebogenen
Arm (6) versehen ist, der einen Sprühkopf (7) trägt und durch eine sich in Querrichtung
des Toilettensitzes (1) erstreckende Welle (5) so schwenkbar ist, daß der Arm (6)
in einer zurückgeschwenkten Stellung im wesentlichen horizontal liegt und bei hinter
einem Teil eines nach unten ragenden Randes (3) nahe der Mittellinie des Toilettensitzes
liegendem Sprühkopf bis an den nahen Umfang des Toilettensitzes reicht, wobei die
Schwenkbewegung des Armes (6) durch seitlich von dem Sitz hervorstehende und an dem
Arm (6) befestigte Betätigungsmittel (9) bewirkbar ist, die wie ein Griff ausgebildet
sind, der nicht nur in der im wesentlichen senkrechten Ebene hin- und herbeweglich
ist, sondern auch in seitlicher Richtung, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß es die Betätigungsmittel (9) während ihrer gesamten Bewegung in der vertikalen
Ebene erlauben, ein Ventil (10, 11) zum Regeln der Wasserdurchflußmenge zu dem Spülkopf
(7) in Abhängigkeit von der seitlichen Bewegung der Betätigungsmittel (9) zu betätigen.
2. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß das Ventil (10, 11) gegen den Einfluß einer Feder (11a) zu öffnen ist, so daß
ein Schließen des Ventiles erfolgt, wenn der seitliche Druck gegen die Betätigungsmittel
(9) aufhört.
3. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der den Sprühkopf (7) tragende Arm (6) durch Federmittel (5a) in seine hintere
Stellung zurückgeführt wird, wenn die Betätigungsmittel (9) nicht mehr betätigt werden.
1. Agencement de pulvérisation à usage hygiénique destiné à être utilisé en liaison avec
une cuvette de W.C. (2) et un siège de W.C (1) classiques, la face inférieure du siège
de W.C (1) étant munie d'un bras incurvé (6) supportant une tête de pulvérisateur
(7) et monté de façon pivotante grâce à un arbre (5) s'étendant suivant la direction
transversale du siège de W.C (1), de sorte que le bras (6), dans une position basculée
vers l'arrière, est principalement horizontal et s'étend suivant approximativement
la circonférence du siège de W.C (1), la tête de pulvérisateur (7) étant positionnée
derrière une partie d'un rebord faisant saillie vers le bas (3) adjacent à la ligne
médiane du siège de W.C, et le mouvement de basculement du bras (6) est provoqué par
un moyen d'actionnement (9) faisant saillie latéralement à partir du siège et fixé
au bras (6), lequel moyen d'actionnement (9) est conçu sous forme d'une manette qui
peut être déplacée de façon oscillante, non seulement pratiquement dans le plan vertical
mais également suivant la direction latérale, caractérisé en ce que le moyen d'actionnement
(9) peut, durant la totalité de son déplacement dans le plan vertical, actionner un
robinet (10, 11) afin de réguler le débit d'eau vers la tête de pulvérisateur (7)
proportionnellement au déplacement latéral du moyen d'actionnement (9).
2. Agencement selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que le robinet (10, 11) est
conçu pour être ouvert en s'opposant à l'influence d'un ressort (11a) de sorte que
la fermeture du robinet est obtenue lorsque la pression latérale sur le moyen d'actionnement
(9) cesse.
3. Agencement selon la revendication 1 ou 2, caractérisé en ce que le bras (6) supportant
la tête de pulvérisateur (7) est rappelé vers sa position arriéré par un moyen de
ressort (5a) lorsque le moyen d'actionnement (9) n'est plus actionné.