Actuating arrangement for operating a toilet flush of a WC with concealed cistern and hand shower connection

Abstract

Actuating arrangement (10), comprising • an actuating plate (12) with a first trigger element (14) for actuating a toilet flush of a WC (28) and • a frame (36) with at least one through-hole (38) penetrating a web (34, 56) of the frame (36) for connecting a hand shower (18), wherein the frame (36) is formed or arranged on the actuating plate (12).

Description

Background of the invention

[0001] The invention relates to an actuating arrangement for operating a toilet flush of a WC with a concealed cistern, wherein the actuating arrangement has the possibility of connecting a hand shower for cleaning.

[0002] It is well known that many modern toilets, particularly in Western industrialized countries, are equipped with a so-called concealed cistern located behind a wall. The actuating elements required to activate the flush (often designed as mechanical buttons) are usually arranged on a flush plate mounted parallel to the wall behind which the cistern is located. In toilets of this type, users are often dependent on toilet paper and / or a remotely located bidet or shower for cleaning. Furthermore, the provision of a wet cleaning facility directly at or next to the toilet usually requires the purchase of a costly, sophisticated toilet bowl (colloquially known as a "Japanese toilet") or the provision of a refillable container in the form of a "mobile bidet."

[0003] Users who prefer wet cleaning using a hand shower installed close to the toilet, especially those who come from cultures where this is considered a common cleaning method, are often faced with an unsatisfactory solution.

[0004] While attaching or retrofitting a hand shower to an exposed cistern is not a major obstacle, this is not easily possible with a modern toilet with a concealed cistern. Object of the invention

[0005] The object of the invention is therefore to provide a means for the cost-effective and simple installation, particularly for retrofitting, of a handheld shower located within user reach next to the toilet, using the same water connection that is also used to fill the cistern. Apart from the wall opening required to control the cistern via the actuator plate's trigger elements, no additional opening in the often tiled wall should be necessary. Description of the invention

[0006] This object is achieved according to the invention by an actuating arrangement according to claim 1, which comprises an actuating plate with at least one trigger element and a frame with at least one through-hole penetrating a web of the frame for connecting a hand shower. Preferred developments of the actuating arrangement are recited in the dependent claims.

[0007] The position information used below refers to the view of a user who is standing in front of a toilet and looking vertically at a wall behind which a cistern is installed and on which the actuation arrangement with the actuation plate for actuating a toilet flush is arranged.

[0008] The actuator plate has at least one trigger element required to activate the toilet flush. The trigger element can preferably be designed as a mechanical button. Alternatively, an electronic design, for example using a sensor, is possible. The invention offsets the actuator plate perpendicular to the wall plane to create the necessary space for connecting the hand shower. The offset occurs towards the user, which results in an increase in the distance between the wall plane and the actuator plate. The frame is arranged in the resulting gap, wherein the frame has a depth t of more than 11 mm and less than 56 mm. The through-hole to which the hand shower can be screwed is arranged on the wall of the frame. The through-hole can preferably be located on the left or right web of the frame.In a particularly flexible version of the invention, several through-holes are located on the side webs to offer the user options regarding the connection position and possibly the water pipe diameter, while also providing an efficient method for manufacturing and distributing the invention. Unused through-holes can be subsequently closed, for example, with plastic caps or similar molded parts.

[0009] The bridge can have a thickening in the area of the through-hole to facilitate the connection of the hand shower and to increase the stability of the connection.

[0010] The frame preferably also serves as a support for a connection between a shut-off lever and a hose line of the hand shower that is fluidically connected to it and a water line located behind the actuator plate. The shut-off lever acts as a leak guard. Different designs of this connection are conceivable. A preferred design is one in which the water line is led to the through-hole on the inside of the frame and is screwed to the inlet of the shut-off lever attached to the outside of the frame via the through-hole. The frame is clamped between the screwed components and thus fulfills its function as a support. Commercially available line connectors and seals can be used for the connection. Alternatively, the through-hole can be provided by the manufacturer with at least one thread and at least one seal to facilitate the connection of the lines.

[0011] The invention can preferably be implemented in a modular design. Here, the frame, which has the through-hole(s), is arranged on an existing actuator plate via a snap-in connection. Common actuator plates are generally arranged on a support plate mounted on the wall or cistern via a snap-in connection. In the modular design, the frame has snap-in connection elements towards the support plate that correspond to those of the actuator plate, and towards the actuator plate, the frame has snap-in connection elements that correspond to those of the support plate. The snap-in connection is realized, for example, by a locking spring on the frame. In this way, the frame can be arranged between the support plate and the actuator plate as an extension adapter.Advantages resulting from this design include the possibility of easily retrofitting the invention to existing WCs with concealed cisterns as well as the possibility of easy dismantling in order to return to a conventional actuator plate arrangement.

[0012] The frame can have different dimensions parallel to the wall plane. In particular, its height h and width b can be adapted to the corresponding dimensions of common actuator plate models, whereby the height h can be between 90 mm and 300 mm and the width b between 90 mm and 450 mm. It is expressly within the scope of the invention that actuator plate models which do not have an exactly rectangular shape parallel to the wall plane can also be equipped with a frame. This applies in particular to round, oval, and trapezoidal actuator plate models. For these models, the height h refers to the largest dimension in the vertical direction, while the width b refers to the largest dimension in the horizontal direction.

[0013] Alternatively, the invention can be implemented in an integral design. In this case, the actuator plate is formed on the frame. This can also be understood as forming the frame by enlarging the usually very narrow lateral webs of the actuator plate itself to a degree that allows for the integration of the through-hole.

[0014] Relocating the actuator plate away from the wall may require replacing one or more drive rods. The drive rods represent part of the mechanism behind the actuators for operating a flush valve. Commercially available longer drive rods can be used for replacement.

[0015] To provide the water for operating the hand shower, a domestic water connection is used, which is preferably also used to fill the cistern. For this purpose, the water line of the domestic connection is split using a distributor arrangement. The distributor arrangement is preferably Y-shaped. A line then runs from the distributor arrangement to a float valve, which is operated by a float in the cistern, while the connecting line for the hand shower runs from the distributor arrangement to the through-hole in the frame, where it connects to the hand shower. Apart from a valve operated by the shut-off lever, the hand shower can preferably have a further valve operated by a shut-off button. This can preferably be arranged on the shower head to ensure easy operation of the hand shower.

[0016] The described arrangement of the components allows the toilet to be flushed as intended via the actuating element, with a second actuating element being able to be arranged on the actuator plate to provide a water-saving option. The hand shower can be used completely independently of the toilet flush, provided the domestic water supply can provide a sufficient water flow rate.

[0017] Further advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description and the drawings. Likewise, the above-mentioned and further-described features can be used individually or in combination in any desired manner. The embodiments shown and described are not intended to be exhaustive, but rather are exemplary in nature for describing the invention. Brief description of the drawings

[0018] It shows Fig. 1 a wall-mounted actuation arrangement from the user's perspective with an installed hand shower, a toilet lid and part of a toilet seat; Fig. 2 a perspective view of the actuating arrangement of Fig. 1 with a view of the left web of a frame; Fig. 3 a schematic representation of a line system of the actuating arrangement; Fig. 4a a detailed view of a possible design of the frame from the user’s perspective; Fig. 4b a detailed view of the frame Fig. 4a from the right; Fig. 4c a detailed view of the frame Fig. 4a and Fig. 4b from below; Fig. 5a a detailed view of another possible embodiment in which the frame is formed on the actuating plate, from the rear; Fig. 5b a detailed view of the integral part consisting of frame and operating plate from Fig. 5a from the left. Detailed description of the invention and drawing

[0019] Fig. Figure 1 shows an actuation assembly 10 installed on a wall from the user's perspective. A rectangular actuation plate 12 includes a first actuation element 14 and an optional second actuation element 16. The horizontal dimension of the actuation plate 12 is designated b, and the vertical dimension of the actuation plate 12 is designated h. A handheld shower 18 has a shower head 20, a shut-off button 22, a hose 24, and a shut-off lever 26. To better understand the view, part of a toilet 28 in the form of a toilet lid 30 and part of a toilet seat 32 is also shown.

[0020] Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the actuating arrangement 10 from Fig. 1 with a view of a left-hand web 34 of a frame 36. The actuator plate 12, which has the first trigger element 14 and the second trigger element 16, is mounted on the frame 36 parallel to the wall plane. The frame 36 is mounted between the wall and the actuator plate 12. The shut-off lever 26 of the hand shower 18 is screwed to a through-hole 38 on the left-hand web 34 of the frame 36. The hose line 24 is connected to the shut-off lever 26.

[0021] Fig. Figure 3 shows a schematic representation of a piping system of the actuating arrangement 10. The water supply is from a domestic water connection 40, with a water line 42 leading to a Y-shaped distributor arrangement 44. There, a split takes place to a connecting line 46 of the hand shower 18 and to a float valve 48. The float valve 48 serves to control the filling of a cistern 50 and is preferably actuated by a float 52. The connecting line 46 preferably leads to the left web 34 (see Fig. 2) of frame 36 (see Fig. 2) and is connected to the through-hole 38 with the locking lever 26 (see Fig. 1 and Fig. 2) of the hand shower 18. A valve 27 of the shut-off lever 26 is fluidically connected to the connecting line 46. A valve 23 of the shut-off button 22 (see Fig. 1) is fluidly connected to the valve 27 of the shut-off lever 26 via the hose line 24. The first trigger element 14 and the second trigger element 16 of the actuating plate 12 serve to selectively trigger a flush valve 54, through which the water content of the cistern 50 can be emptied.

[0022] Fig. Figure 4a shows a detailed view of a possible embodiment of the frame 36 from the user's perspective. The frame 36 shown in this embodiment is intended for arrangement on an operating plate 12 (see Fig. 1-3), which have two trigger elements 14, 16 (see Fig. 1-3) which are designed as mechanical buttons. The left web 34 of the frame 36 does not have a through-hole 38. This is, however, arranged on a right web 56 of the frame 36 (see also Fig. 4b). Under certain circumstances, the web 56 has a projection in the area around the through-hole 38 (see Fig. 2) has a thickening, which increases the stability of the web 56 and facilitates the connection of the hand shower 18 (see Fig. 1-3). Four receptacles 58a-d serve to attach a locking spring 59. In combination with two snap-in connection elements 60a, 60b, the actuating plate 12 can be fastened to the frame 36 via a snap-in connection. Two residues 66a, 66b are formed on the frame 36 to enable the actuating plate 12 to snap into place on the locking spring 59. Furthermore, two struts 62a, 62b are arranged on the frame 36. These serve, on the one hand, to increase the stability of the frame 36, and on the other hand, they can be used as end stops for the first and second trigger elements 14, 16. The strut 62a has a drive rod passage 64a for a drive rod of the first trigger element 14, while the strut 62b has a drive rod passage 64b for a second drive rod of the second trigger element 16. The height h and the width b are adjusted to a reasonable value within the previously mentioned limits.

[0023] Fig. 4b shows a detailed view of the frame 36 from Fig. 4a from the right. The through-hole 38 is arranged on the right web 56 of the frame 36. From this view, it can be seen that the strut 62b has a certain angular offset from the vertical. This serves to adapt to the intended end position of the trigger elements 14, 16 (see Fig. 1-3) when actuated. The through-hole 38 is designed as a round through-hole. In the illustrated embodiment, this can have a diameter between 8 mm and 30 mm. A design with a thread and / or an integrated seal integrated into the through-hole is not shown, but is also considered a possible variant. The depth t of the frame 36 can be between 12 mm and 55 mm. The height h is adjusted to a reasonable value within the previously mentioned limits. The receptacles 58b-d of the locking spring 59 and the snap-in connection element 60b are visible in the view.

[0024] Fig. 4c shows a detailed view of the frame 36 from Fig. 4a and Fig. 4b from below. This illustration primarily serves to better illustrate the recesses 66a and 66b. The receptacles 58a-d of the locking spring 59 and the locking connection elements 60a and 60b are also shown.

[0025] Fig. Figure 5a shows a detailed view of another possible embodiment, in which the frame 36 is formed on the actuating plate 12, from the rear. In this illustration, four locking connection elements 60c-f are visible, which serve to realize the locking connection to a support plate on the cistern. The actuating plate 12 formed on the frame 36 has, in the illustration, three fastening elements 68a-c and a recess 70 for attaching the first and second trigger elements 14, 16 (see Fig. 1-3) in the form of mechanical buttons. These are not shown in the illustration for reasons of clarity. The through-hole 38 (see Fig. 5b) is located in this embodiment in the left web 34 of the frame 36. The struts 62a and 62b, which contain the drive rod bushings 64a and 64b, correspond in their arrangement and function to their Fig. 4a and Fig. 4b shown equivalents.

[0026] Fig. 5b shows a detailed view of the integral part consisting of frame 36 and operating plate 12 from Fig. 5a with a view of the left web 34. The through-hole 38 is analogous to Fig. 4b as a round through-hole. The dimensions of the diameter d of the through-hole 38, the depth t of the frame 36, and the height h are adjusted to reasonable values within the aforementioned limits. It should be noted that the depth t of the frame 36, even in the integral part, refers exclusively to the area that a frame 36 with an additionally attached actuating plate 12 has in the modular embodiment of the invention. Analogous to Fig. 4b the angular offset of the strut 62a is visible from the illustration.

[0027] Taking a summary of all the figures of the drawing, the invention relates to an actuating arrangement 10 for actuating a toilet flush of a WC 28, which has an actuating plate 12 with at least one trigger element 14 and a frame 36 with at least one through-hole 38 penetrating a web 34, 56 of the frame 36. The through-hole 38 serves to connect a hand shower 18 by allowing a water volume flow to pass through the frame 36, while the web 34, 56 of the frame 36 delimiting the through-hole 38 provides a structure for attaching a line connection. The frame 36 can be optionally formed or arranged on the actuating plate 12. List of reference symbols 10 Actuating arrangement 12 Actuator plate 14 first trigger element 16 optional second trigger element 18 hand shower 20 shower head 22 shut-off buttons 23 Shut-off button valve 24 hose line 26 locking lever 27 Shut-off lever valve 28 toilets 30 toilet lids 32 toilet seats 34 left bridge 36 frames 38 Through recess 40 Domestic water connection 42 Water pipe from house water connection 44 Distribution arrangement 46 connecting cable 48 Float valve 50 cistern 52 swimmers 54 Flush valve 56 right bridge 58a-d Images of a locking spring 59 locking spring 60a-f snap-in connection elements 62a,b strut 64a,b connecting rod bushing 66a,b residue 68a-c Fastening element 70 recess

Claims

[1] Actuating arrangement (10), comprising • an actuating plate (12) with a first trigger element (14) for actuating a toilet flush of a WC (28) and • a frame (36) with at least one through-hole (38) penetrating a web (34, 56) of the frame (36) for connecting a hand shower (18), wherein the frame (36) is formed or arranged on the actuating plate (12). [2] Actuating arrangement (10) according to claim 1, wherein the frame (36) has a depth t between 12 mm and 55 mm. [3] Actuating arrangement (10) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the through-recess (38) is formed on the left or right web (34, 56) of the frame (36). [4] Actuating arrangement (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the actuating arrangement (10) comprises the hand shower (18), wherein the hand shower (18) is fastened to the through-hole (38) by means of a screw connection. [5] Actuating arrangement (10) according to claim 4, wherein the hand shower (18) has a shut-off lever (26) on its hose line (24), which serves as a leakage protection. [6] Actuating arrangement (10) according to one of the preceding claims, in which a thread and / or a seal for screwing the hand shower (18) is integrated into the through-recess (38). [7] Actuating arrangement (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the frame (36) has a locking spring (59) so that the frame (36) can be retrofitted to an existing actuating plate arrangement. [8] Actuating arrangement (10) according to one of the preceding claims, which has a snap-in connection to the actuating plate (12) and / or to a cistern (50) in order to ensure simple assembly. [9] Actuating arrangement (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the actuating plate (12) has a height h between 90 mm and 300 mm and a width b between 90 mm and 450 mm parallel to the wall plane. [10] Actuating arrangement (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the actuating arrangement (10) has a distributor arrangement (44) with at least three connections, wherein the through-hole (38) is fluidically connected to a first connection and a second connection is fluidically connectable to a water line (42) from a domestic water connection (40) and wherein a third connection is fluidically connectable to the cistern (50). [11] Actuating arrangement (10) according to claim 10, wherein the distributor arrangement (44) is Y-shaped. [12] Actuating arrangement (10) according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the actuating arrangement (10) comprises the cistern (50) with a float valve (48), wherein the distributor arrangement (44) is fluidically connected upstream of the float valve (48). [13] Actuating arrangement (10) according to claim 4, wherein the hand shower (18) has a shut-off button (22) for the purpose of easy operation. [14] Actuating arrangement (10) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the actuating plate (12) has a second trigger element (16) for the purpose of saving flushing water. [15] Actuating arrangement (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one trigger element (14, 16) is designed in the form of a mechanical button.

Images