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(11) | EP 1 359 261 A2 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Adaptable flush tank valve assembly, and method of fitting the valve assembly to a flush tank |
| (57) A valve assembly (1) for a flush tank (2) extends along an axis (A1), and has a cylindrical
cup (8); a valve (9) having a valve body (16) integral with the cup (8), and a slide
(19) movable along the axis (A1); a frame (10) located over the cup (8); and an actuating
device (11) for actuating the slide (19), and supported partly by the frame (10) and
partly by the slide (19); the frame (10) and the cup (8) being connected by a threaded
connection to vary the length of the valve assembly (1) along the axis (A1) by means
of relative rotation, about the axis (A1), between the cup (8) and the frame (10).
Thus, the flush tank valve assembly (1) can be filled quickly and easily to a flush
tank (2) whereby the length of the valve assembly (1) can be adapted to the size of
the flush tank (2). |
[0002] A flush tank valve assembly normally extends along a given axis, and comprises a cup; a valve having a valve body integral with the cup, and a slide movable along said given axis; a frame over the cup; and a slide actuating device supported partly by the frame and partly by the slide. The actuating device comprises a pushbutton located at least partly outside the tank, and which, when pressed, raises the slide to open the valve. A flush tank comprises an inner compartment housing the valve assembly and a given quantity of water; a top wall having a first opening through which a portion of the actuating device projects; and a bottom wall having a second opening through which projects a portion of the valve body. The bottom wall of the flush tank is gripped between the valve body and a ring nut; and the top wall of the flush tank is gripped between the frame and an outer portion of the actuating device.
[0003] The total length of the valve assembly is therefore determined by the distance between the top and bottom walls of the flush tank. However, manufacturing tolerances of the valve assembly and flush tank components, and any inaccuracy in assembling the valve assembly make it impossible to achieve a precise relationship between the length of the valve assembly and the distance between the top and bottom walls of the flush tank.
[0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide a flush tank valve assembly, which can be fitted quickly and easily to a flush tank, and in particular can be adapted to the size of the flush tank.
[0005] According to the present invention, there is provided a valve assembly as claimed in Claim 1.
[0008] A preferred, non-limiting embodiment of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 shows a front view, with parts in section and parts removed for clarity, of a valve assembly in accordance with the present invention and fitted inside a flush tank;
Figure 2 shows a side view, with parts removed for clarity, of the Figure 1 valve assembly;
Figure 3 shows a side view of a detail in Figure 2;
Figure 4 shows a section along line IV-IV of the Figure 1 valve assembly;
Figure 5 shows a side view, with parts in section and parts removed for clarity, of a detail of the Figure 1 assembly in a rest, i.e. closed-valve, position;
Figure 6 shows a side view, with parts in section and parts removed for clarity, of the Figure 5 detail in a work, i.e. open-valve, position.
[0009] Number 1 in Figure 1 indicates as a whole a valve assembly housed inside a flush tank 2, which comprises a compartment 3 for housing valve assembly 1 and a given quantity of flush water; a top wall 4 having an opening 6; and a bottom wall 5 having an opening 7. Valve assembly 1 extends along an axis A1, and projects partly through openings 6 and 7.
[0010] Assembly 1 comprises a cylindrical cup 8; a valve 9 beneath cup 8; a frame 10 over cup 8; and an actuating device 11.
[0011] Cup 8 comprises a cylindrical lateral wall 12, a top portion of which has a threaded portion 13 with a thread of pitch P; a bottom wall 14 with a central hole; and a guide 15 located inside cup 8 and for the purpose explained in detail later on.
[0012] Valve 9 comprises a valve body 16 integral with cup 8 and having a seat 17, which comes out inside an externally threaded outflow fitting 18 extending through opening 7. Valve 9 also comprises a slide 19, which has a shutter 20 on the bottom end for engaging seat 17, a threaded top portion 21, and a central portion 22, which slides inside cup 8 and is guided by guide 15. Guide 15 is fitted to central portion 22 of slide 19 to allow slide 19 to slide along axis A1, and to prevent slide 19 rotating about axis A1. More specifically, guide 15 comprises slots 15a parallel to axis A1, and slide 19 comprises tabs 23 parallel to axis A1 and engaging slots 15a in sliding manner as shown in Figure 4.
[0013] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, valve 9 is fixed to bottom wall 5 of flush tank 2 by means of a ring nut 24 screwed to fitting 18 to grip bottom wall 5 between ring nut 24 and a seal 25 interposed between valve body 16 and bottom wall 5.
[0014] With reference to Figure 1, frame 10 comprises two rods 26 parallel to axis A1; and a post 27 crosswise to axis A1 and integral with the top ends of rods 26. Just beneath post 27, each rod 26 has a tab 28, which is positioned radially with respect to axis A1 and supports a pin 29 defining an axis A2 extending radially with respect to axis A1. Beneath tabs 28, each rod 26 has a succession of teeth 30, which are equally spaced with pitch P, project towards axis A1, and form a threaded coupling with threaded portion 13 of cup 8. Frame 10 also comprises a cover 31 and a ring 32, which substantially provide for keeping teeth 30 engaged with threaded portion 13 of cup 8. Cover 31 comprises a top wall 33 with a hole for the passage of slide 19; and a cylindrical lateral wall 34 having two seats 35 housing respective rods 26. Ring 32 substantially comprises a lateral wall 36; and two seats 37 housing rods 26. With reference to Figures 2 and 3, cover 31 and ring 32 have respective click-on fastening members 38 and 39 for fastening together cover 31 and ring 32. Cover 31 is located above threaded portion 13; wall 36 of ring 32 surrounds, and extends partly beneath, threaded portion 13; and cover 31 and ring 32 define a foolproof position of rods 26 at threaded portion 13, and contribute towards increasing the structural rigidity of frame 10 as a whole.
[0015] With reference to Figures 1, 5 and 6, post 27 comprises a groove 40 extending crosswise to axis A1 to partly house actuating device 11, which comprises a pushbutton 41 and a mechanical transmission 42 beneath pushbutton 41. Pushbutton 41 comprises an inner portion 43 housed inside tank 2 and groove 40; an outer portion 44 located outside tank 2 and screwed to inner portion 43; and a ring 45 fitted to outer portion 44 to grip top wall 4 of tank 2 between post 27 and ring 45. Transmission 42 comprises a lever 46, which is defined by a rib, is in the form of a rectangular loop, is hinged to pins 29 about axis A2 perpendicular to axis A1, and has a connecting ring 47; and a lever 48 hinged to lever 46 about an axis A3 parallel to axis A2, and having a connecting member 49 for connection to inner portion 43 of pushbutton 41. Member 49 has projections 50, which engage tabs 28 so that member 49 is guided parallel to axis A1 when activated by pushbutton 41. Actuating device 11 also comprises a connecting member 51, in turn comprising a ring 52 screwed to portion 21 of slide 19, and a hook 53 integral with ring 52.
[0016] Hook 53 projects radially from ring 52 with respect to axis A1, and engages ring 47 of lever 46 so that the movements of lever 46 are transmitted to connecting member 51 and vice versa.
[0017] In actual use, valve assembly 1 is installed inside a tank 2, and is operated by pushbutton 41 to open valve 9 and drain the water from tank 2 through valve 9. In Figure 5, slide 19 is in the lowered position, and valve 9 (not shown in Figure 5) is closed. When pushbutton 41 is pressed, lever 48 moves down, and lever 46 rotates about axis A2, as shown in Figure 6, to raise hook 53, connecting member 51, and slide 19, the travel of which depends on the angle of rotation of lever 46 and the on the travel of pushbutton 41. As it moves down, lever 48 rotates slightly about axis A3, as shown in Figure 6.
[0018] For best opening and closing of valve 9, the component parts of actuating device 11 must be arranged in precise relative positions, which also applies to hook 53, which, unlike the other component parts of actuating device 11 fitted to frame 10, is fitted to slide 19.
[0019] Valve assembly 1 is installed inside flush tank 2 by inserting fitting 18 inside opening 7 in bottom wall 5 of tank 2, and effecting a clockwise or anticlockwise relative rotation between cup 8 and frame 10 to adjust and adapt the length of valve assembly 1 to the distance D between top wall 4 and bottom wall 5 of tank 2. Continuous, precise adjustment of the length of valve assembly 1 is made possible by the threaded connection of cup 8 and frame 10. And relative rotation between frame 10 and cup 8 produces a relative rotation between member 51 and threaded portion 21 of slide 19. Since slide 19, by means of guide 15, is integral with cup 8 as regards rotation about axis A1, and connecting member 51 is substantially integral with lever 46 as regards rotation about axis A1, relative rotation between the cup and frame 10 varies not only the length of valve assembly 1, but also the relative position between portion 21 of slide 19 and connecting member 51. Since threaded portion 13 of cup 8 and threaded portion 21 of the slide have the same hand and pitch P, both the variations produced by relative rotation between cup 8 and frame 10 are of the same amount, so that the relative position between connecting member 51 and the other component parts of actuating device 11 remains unchanged alongside variations in the length of valve assembly 1, and no specific adjustment of the component parts of actuating device 11 is required, this being a consequence of adjusting the length of valve assembly 1.
[0020] If portion 21 of the slide projects excessively with respect to member 51 once the length of valve assembly 1 and the relative position of the component parts of actuating device 11 are adjusted, the surplus part of portion 21 is cut off. Ring nut 24 is then screwed to fitting 18, and outer portion 44 of pushbutton 41 is screwed to inner portion 43 of pushbutton 41 to fix valve assembly 1 to bottom wall 5 and top wall 4 of flush tank 2.
[0021] Clearly, any number of changes can be made to the embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings. For example, transmission 42 may be replaced with a transmission cooperating with the pushbutton to permit controlled closing of valve 9; or the slide may be connected to a float to effect controlled closing of valve 9; and, in other variations (not shown), the pushbutton is controlled pneumatically.
1. A valve assembly (1) for a flush tank (2), the valve assembly (1) extending along
a first axis (A1), and comprising a cylindrical cup (8); a valve (9) having a valve
body (16) integral with the cup (8), and a slide (19) movable along the first axis
(A1); a frame (10) located over said cup (8); and an actuating device (11) for actuating
the slide (19); the valve assembly (1) being characterized in that the frame (10) and the cup (8) are connected by a threaded connection to adjust the
length of the valve assembly (1) along the first axis (A1) by means of relative rotation,
about the first axis (A1), between the cup (8) and the frame (10).
2. A valve assembly as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that said cup (8) comprises a threaded portion (13) with a given pitch (P); said threaded
portion extending about said first axis (A1), and being engaged by said frame (10).
3. A valve assembly as claimed in Claim 2, characterized in that said frame (10) comprises two rods (26) parallel to said first axis (A1); each rod
(26) comprising a succession of teeth (30) equally spaced with said pitch (P) and
cooperating with said threaded portion (13).
4. A valve assembly as claimed in Claim 3, characterized in that said rods (26) are diametrically opposite with respect to said first axis (A1).
5. A valve assembly as claimed in Claim 3 or 4, characterized by comprising guide means (31, 32) for keeping the teeth (30) of said rods (26) engaged
with said threaded portion (13) of the cup (8).
6. A valve assembly as claimed in Claim 5, characterized in that said guide means (31, 32) comprise a cover (31) of said cup (8), having first seats
(35) housing said rods (26); and a ring (32) having second seats (37) and connectable
to the cover (31); said rods (26) sliding along the first axis (A1) inside the first
(35) and second (37) seats.
7. A valve assembly as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims, characterized in that said cup (8) comprises a guide (15) for guiding said slide (19) and enabling said
slide (19) to move solely along the first axis (A1).
8. A valve assembly as claimed in Claim 7, characterized in that said actuating device (11) comprises a pushbutton (41) and a mechanical transmission
(42), both supported by said frame (10); and a connecting member (51) supported by
said slide (19) and connected to said transmission (42) so as to be integral with
said frame (10) as regards rotation about the first axis (A1).
9. A valve assembly as claimed in Claim 8, characterized in that said slide (19) comprises a threaded top portion (21) with a thread having the same
pitch (P) as the threaded portion (13) of the cup (8), and the same hand as the thread
of the threaded portion (13) of the cup (8).
10. A valve assembly as claimed in Claim 9, characterized in that said transmission (42) comprises a first and a second lever (46, 48) rotating about
a second and a third axis (A2, A3) parallel to each other and perpendicular to said
first axis (A1).
11. A method of fitting a valve assembly (1), as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 10,
to a tank (2) comprising a top wall (4) having a first opening (6), and a bottom wall
(5) having a second opening (7) and located a given distance (D) from the top wall
(4); the method comprising placing the valve assembly (1) inside said tank (2), inserting
a fitting (18) of said valve body (16) through said second opening (7), and effecting
a relative rotation between the cup (8) and the frame (10) to adapt the length of
the valve assembly (1) to said distance (D).
12. A method as claimed in Claim 11, characterized by gripping said bottom wall (5) between a ring nut (24), screwed to said fitting (18),
and said valve body (16).