Baths – closets – sinks – and spittoons – Flush closet – Manual selection of the amount of flush
Reexamination Certificate
2002-07-24
2003-10-28
Phillips, Charles E. (Department: 3751)
Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons
Flush closet
Manual selection of the amount of flush
C004S410000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06637041
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention refers to a tank discharge device which has quantified saving of water in toilets, performing a double discharge controlled by only one push button.
This invention is within the water saving systems in toilet deposits and tanks, and within them, among the purely mechanical devices using already known elements for actuating the water shut-off valve. It has a single deposit with two perfectly dosed and measured water lots, which depend on the specific use, in order to first give a determined quantity and subsequently, only in those cases when required by the user, the entire content of the deposit.
2. Description of Related Art
Different water saving devices in toilet tanks are known in the current state of the art. Those having two separated floats or a double water deposit are particularly known, actuated by means of a double push button or pull rod, such that different volumes are removed, depending on which float or deposit is used, which is a function of the actuated push button or pull rod.
Devices with a valve regulation mechanism depending on the pulsation intensity are also known, or with several valve opening diameters and of the regulation of the outlet liquid flow, or with a double water storage system producing a double stage upon actuating the push button, due to which a dragging of mechanical elements occurs once exceeding a certain point, giving way to the complete discharge.
Different types of buoys, adapters, more or less complex electric or electronic systems or other mechanisms regulating the water flow in tanks are also known.
One of the drawbacks that all of these known devices have is the difficulty of being adapted to the different types of existing toilets, so that the tank must incorporate the proposed mechanism in the majority of the cases. This implies a more expensive manufacturing process, in addition to the scarce usefulness of these systems.
On the other hand, other mechanisms do not have any structural consistency, so that even though they are adapted to the existing tanks, they deteriorate in little time. In addition, many of them do not adjust or fix the lid of the tank.
Another drawback of the known devices is that, although a significant water saving occurs by using these systems, the saving normally cannot be quantified. Some examples are those systems in which the water outlet valve is opened by pushing or pulling, and the water constantly flows towards the outlet while the push button or pull rod continues actuating; in other cases, it is necessary to produce a second pulsation in order to stop the outlet flow. Water saving does occur, but, definitively, exactly what quantity is not known, depending on the time it has been actuating in each case.
However, perhaps the biggest drawback of the current systems consists of it being fundamental to carry out a specific actuation in order to achieve a saving:
In single push button mechanisms where one pulsation actuates the water emptying and the second pulsation paralyzes the emptying, producing the saving depends on this second pulsation being carried out. In addition, it is not quantifiable since the amount of water emptied depends on the time elapsed between the first pulsation and the second one, which will be different each time.
In mechanisms of only one push button, which have two positions or a double pulsation run, it is necessary to choose the force or intensity with which the push button is actuated in order to save, or to not exceed a certain run in the pulsation, without being able to therefore ensure that with one push and release action, the force, intensity or run was correct in order to save water.
In mechanisms of a split push button or double push button, it is necessary to choose the part of the push button or which of the existing two must be actuated, saving water if finding the correct push button or the suitable part thereof.
Therefore, it depends on the user's will to produce the saving, and the second pulsation being carried out or not or correctly actuating the conservation mechanism is at the expense of carelessness, negligence, forgetfulness, unknowing or comfort.
There are even double discharge mechanisms with only one push button, in those which a first pulsation produces a partial discharge regardless of the torrent or pressure with which the water evacuates and therefore a forced and quantifiable water saving, but it is necessary to carry out a second pulsation that must also be maintained or continued for a period of time in order to produce the complete removal from the deposit.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention overcomes the previously mentioned drawbacks in a simple manner, by means of only one water outlet valve, only one push button and one float. With a structurally heavy-duty device adaptable to any type of toilet tank, a measured and fixed volume of water is discharged by the action of pushing or pulling only once, while the complete discharge occurs when the push button or pull rod is actuated a second time in a prolonged manner. The system uses the coupling of simple mechanical devices physically separating on one side the opening and closing of the water outlet valve towards the toilet, and on the other, the filling of water in the system.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4566140 (1986-01-01), Musgrove
patent: 5265282 (1993-11-01), Schmucki
patent: 5720053 (1998-02-01), Menge
patent: 5956781 (1999-09-01), Grant
patent: 6163897 (2000-12-01), Plas et al.
patent: 6442772 (2002-09-01), Han et al.
Gutierrez José Blanco
Luz Juan Sanz
Brown & Michaels PC
Phillips Charles E.
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