Water closet device

Abstract

To provide a water closet device for executing different washing sequences for large washing and small washing while supplying the total amount of washing water to be used for washing from a washing water tank.SOLUTION: A water closet device (1) includes a water closet body (2), a washing water tank (4), a first drain valve (10) for selecting rim discharge water to be discharged / stopped by opening / closing a first drain port provided in the washing water tank, a second drain valve (12) for selecting jet discharge water to be discharged / stopped by opening / closing a second drain port, and an operation part (5) capable of selectively executing a large washing mode or a small washing mode. At the time of executing the large washing mode, the first drain valve is opened and then the second drain valve opened after a predetermined time passes for supplying the washing water to the bowl part. At the time of executing the small washing mode, the first drain valve is opened and then the second drain valve is opened before the predetermined time passes.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a flush toilet apparatus, and in particular to a flush toilet apparatus that performs flushing in large flush mode and small flush mode using flush water stored in a flush water tank. [Background technology]

[0002] JP 2018-100575 A (Patent Document 1) describes a flush toilet. This flush toilet is equipped with a toilet body, a water storage tank, a pressure pump that pressurizes flush water stored in the water storage tank and sends it to the toilet body, and a water supply channel switching valve that switches the supply destination of flush water supplied from the water supply. In this flush toilet, different flush sequences are executed when a large flush is performed and when a small flush is performed by controlling the pressure pump and the water supply channel switching valve. This allows appropriate amounts of flush water to be discharged from each outlet of the toilet body at the appropriate timing for the large and small flushes, achieving effective toilet flushing with a small amount of flush water. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2018-100575 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the flush toilet described in Patent Document 1, some of the flush water used for flushing is discharged due to the water supply pressure supplied from the water mains, so if the flush toilet is installed in an area with low water supply pressure, for example, problems may arise such as a lack of flush water or an inability to flush sufficiently. Also, in the flush toilet described in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to control a pressure pump and a switching valve to execute the large flush and small flush flushing sequence, which creates the problem of the flushing device becoming complicated and expensive.

[0005] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a flush toilet apparatus that can carry out different flush sequences for large and small flushes while supplying the entire amount of flush water used for flushing from a flush water tank, thereby effectively flushing the toilet. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention is a flush toilet apparatus that performs flushing in large flush mode and small flush mode using flush water stored in a flush water tank, and comprises a flush toilet main body equipped with a bowl section and a drain trap pipe extending from the lower part of this bowl section, a flush water tank that is positioned at the rear of this flush toilet main body and stores flush water for flushing the bowl section of the flush toilet main body, a first drain valve that switches between starting and stopping the discharge of flush water from a rim spout provided on the upper edge of the bowl section by opening and closing a first drain outlet provided in this flush water tank, and a second drain valve that opens and closes a second drain outlet provided in the flush water tank. The washing machine has a second drain valve that switches between on and off the discharge of flush water from the jet water outlet provided at the bottom of the bowl portion, and an operation unit that can selectively execute a large flush mode and a small flush mode in which a smaller amount of flush water is supplied to the bowl portion than in the large flush mode.When the large flush mode is executed, flush water is supplied to the bowl portion by opening the first drain valve and then opening the second drain valve after a predetermined time has elapsed, and when the small flush mode is executed, the first drain valve and the second drain valve are opened simultaneously, or the first drain valve is opened and the second drain valve is opened before the predetermined time has elapsed.

[0007] According to the present invention thus configured, the discharge and stop of flush water from the rim spout is switched by the first drain valve, and the discharge and stop of flush water from the jet spout is switched by the second drain valve, so the timing of rim spouting and jet spouting can be freely and independently set while all flush water used for flushing is supplied from the flush water tank. This allows the flush water stored in the flush water tank to effectively flush the bowl part of the flush toilet body. Here, the rim spouting at the start of the toilet flush mainly functions to wash away the waste adhering to the waste receiving surface of the bowl part, and the jet spouting mainly functions to push the waste and accumulated water in the bowl part into the drain trap pipe. For this reason, in a small flush where there is little waste adhering to the bowl part, there is little need to perform rim spouting in advance at the start of the toilet flush. According to the present invention configured as described above, when the large flush mode is performed, flush water is supplied to the bowl section by opening the first drain valve and then opening the second drain valve after a predetermined time has elapsed, and when the small flush mode is performed, the first and second drain valves are opened simultaneously, or the first drain valve is opened and then the second drain valve is opened before a predetermined time has elapsed.As a result, it is possible to reduce the amount of rim water spouting before the start of jet water spouting, which is less necessary in the small flush mode, and it is possible to suppress the amount of flush water while ensuring sufficient flushing performance.

[0008] In the present invention, the operating unit is preferably configured to open the first drain valve and then the second drain valve when the large flush mode is executed, and is configured to open the first drain valve and the second drain valve substantially simultaneously when the small flush mode is executed.

[0009] According to the present invention configured in this manner, when the small flush mode is executed, the first drain valve and the second drain valve are opened substantially simultaneously, so that the amount of rim water spouted before the start of jet water spouting can be made extremely small, enabling the amount of flush water to be significantly reduced while maintaining sufficient flushing performance.

[0010] In the present invention, preferably, the device further comprises a water pressure drive mechanism which uses the water supply pressure of flush water supplied from the water main to the flush water tank to open the second drain valve.

[0011] According to the present invention configured in this way, since the second drain valve is opened by the water pressure drive mechanism, in large flush mode, jet water spouting can be started a predetermined time after rim spouting has started, without pulling up the drain valve with electrical power such as a motor. This makes it possible to effectively wash the bowl section while suppressing the amount of flush water.

[0012] In the present invention, it is preferable that the device further has a ball tap equipped with a float that operates in conjunction with the water level in the flush water tank, and this ball tap is configured to supply flush water to the water hydraulic drive mechanism when the float lowers to a predetermined position, and when the large flush mode is executed by the operating unit, the float lowers as the water level in the flush water tank drops and the supply of flush water to the water hydraulic drive mechanism begins, and when the small flush mode is executed, the float is forcibly lowered based on the operation of the operating unit and the supply of flush water to the water hydraulic drive mechanism begins.

[0013] According to the present invention configured in this manner, when the large flush mode is performed, the float is lowered as the water level in the flush water tank drops and the supply of flush water to the water pressure drive mechanism begins, so jet spouting begins after the water level in the flush water tank drops. On the other hand, when the small flush mode is performed, the float is forcibly lowered and the supply of flush water to the water pressure drive mechanism begins, so jet spouting begins without waiting for the water level in the flush water tank to drop. This makes it possible to set the flush sequences for the large flush mode and the small flush mode without using electrical control.

[0014] In the present invention, it is preferable that the device further includes a ball tap equipped with a float that operates in conjunction with the water level in the flush water tank, and this ball tap is configured to supply flush water to the water hydraulic drive mechanism when the float drops to a predetermined position, and when the large flush mode is executed by the operating unit, the float drops as the water level in the flush water tank drops and the supply of flush water to the water hydraulic drive mechanism begins, and when the small flush mode is executed, the second drain valve is forcibly opened based on operation of the operating unit before the float drops to the predetermined position.

[0015] According to the present invention configured in this manner, when the large flush mode is performed, the float drops as the water level in the flush water tank drops and the supply of flush water to the water pressure drive mechanism begins, so jet spouting begins after the water level in the flush water tank drops. On the other hand, when the small flush mode is performed, the second drain valve is forcibly opened and jet spouting begins based on operation of the operating unit. This makes it possible to set the flush sequences for the large flush mode and the small flush mode without using electrical control.

[0016] In the present invention, the operating unit preferably includes a handle, and when the handle is rotated in a first direction, the large flush mode is executed, and when the handle is rotated in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the small flush mode is executed.

[0017] According to the present invention configured in this manner, the large-flush mode is executed when the handle is rotated in a first direction, and the small-flush mode is executed when it is rotated in the second direction, so that execution of the large-flush mode and the small-flush mode can be controlled with a simple mechanism.

[0018] In the present invention, the operation unit preferably includes a first button and a second button, and when the first button is pressed, the large flush mode is executed, and when the second button is pressed, the small flush mode is executed.

[0019] According to the present invention configured in this manner, when the first button is pressed, the large flush mode is executed, and when the second button is pressed, the small flush mode is executed. Therefore, the execution of the large flush mode and the small flush mode can be controlled with a simple mechanism. Effect of the Invention

[0020] According to the flush toilet apparatus of the present invention, the entire amount of flush water used for flushing is supplied from the flush water tank, while different flush sequences are carried out for the large and small flushes, making it possible to effectively flush the toilet. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a flush toilet apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the general configuration of a flush water tank provided in a flush toilet apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the general configuration of an operating unit provided on a flush water tank of a flush toilet apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of a ball tap built into the flush water tank in a flush toilet apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of a water pressure drive mechanism built into the flush water tank in a flush toilet apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining operation when the full-flush mode is executed by the flush toilet apparatus according to the first embodiment of the invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining operation when the full-flush mode is executed by the flush toilet apparatus according to the first embodiment of the invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining operation when the full-flush mode is executed by the flush toilet apparatus according to the first embodiment of the invention. [Figure 9]FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining operation when the full-flush mode is executed by the flush toilet apparatus according to the first embodiment of the invention. [Figure 10] 4 is a time chart showing the operation when the full-flush mode is executed by the flush toilet apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram for explaining operation when the small-flush mode is executed by the flush toilet apparatus according to the first embodiment of the invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram for explaining operation when the small-flush mode is executed by the flush toilet apparatus according to the first embodiment of the invention. [Figure 13] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram for explaining operation when the small-flush mode is executed by the flush toilet apparatus according to the first embodiment of the invention. [Figure 14] 4 is a time chart showing the operation when the small-flush mode is executed by the flush toilet device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the general configuration of a flush water tank provided in a flush toilet apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing the general configuration of an operating unit provided on a flush water tank of a flush toilet apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] Next, a flush toilet apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing a flush toilet apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the general configuration of a flush water tank provided in a flush toilet apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the general configuration of an operating unit provided in a flush water tank of a flush toilet apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of a ball tap built into the flush water tank in a flush toilet apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of a water pressure drive mechanism built into the flush water tank in a flush toilet apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] As shown in Figure 1, a flush toilet device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is made up of a flush toilet main body 2, which is a flush toilet, and a flush water tank 4 located at the rear of this flush toilet main body 2. The flush toilet device 1 of this embodiment is configured so that flushing is performed after use by operating a lever handle 5a provided on the flush water tank 4. As a modified example, the present invention can also be configured so that flushing is performed based on a control signal from a remote control device (not shown), or a detection signal from a human presence sensor (not shown).

[0024] The flush toilet body 2 comprises a bowl portion 2a and a drain trap pipe 2c extending from the bottom of the bowl portion 2a. A rim water outlet 2d is provided on the upper edge of the bowl portion 2a, and a jet water outlet 2e is provided on the bottom of the bowl portion 2a. When flushing the toilet, flush water is discharged from the rim water outlet 2d and the jet water outlet 2e at a predetermined timing, cleaning the waste receiving surface of the bowl portion 2a and discharging the waste and flush water from within the bowl portion 2a into the drain trap pipe 2c. The waste and flush water discharged into the drain trap pipe 2c pass through a drain socket (not shown) and are discharged into the sewer pipe (not shown).

[0025] Flush water is supplied to the flush water tank 4 from a water supply source 7, such as a water line, via a stop valve 8, and the supplied flush water is stored in the flush water tank 4 up to a predetermined water level. The stop valve 8 is provided to stop the supply of flush water to the flush water tank 4 during maintenance, etc., and is normally kept in the "open" position. The flush water tank 4 also has a first drain valve 10 and a second drain valve 12 built in, which are configured to open and close a first drain outlet 4b and a second drain outlet 4c, respectively, provided at the bottom of the flush water tank 4.

[0026] Flush water that flows out from the first drain outlet 4b passes through the rim water conduit 2f formed inside the flush toilet main body 2, and is discharged from the rim water outlet 2d. Therefore, the first drain valve 10 switches between turning on and off the discharge of flush water from the rim water outlet 2d by opening and closing the first drain outlet 4b provided in the flush water tank 4. Also, flush water that flows out from the second drain outlet 4c passes through the jet water conduit 2g formed inside the flush toilet main body 2, and is discharged from the jet water outlet 2e. Therefore, the second drain valve 12 switches between turning on and off the discharge of flush water from the jet water outlet 2e by opening and closing the second drain outlet 4c provided in the flush water tank 4.

[0027] Next, the internal structure of the flush water tank 4 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in Figure 2, the cleaning water tank 4 has a first drain valve 10 that opens and closes the first drain outlet 4b, a second drain valve 12 that opens and closes the second drain outlet 4c, a ball tap 14 which is a delay mechanism, and a water pressure drive mechanism 16.

[0028] The flush water tank 4 is a tank configured to store flush water to be supplied to the flush toilet body 2, and a first drain outlet 4b and a second drain outlet 4c are formed in its bottom for discharging the stored flush water into the flush toilet body 2. Furthermore, a partition wall 6 is provided inside the flush water tank 4, which divides the flush water tank 4 into a first tank section 6a, in which the first drain outlet 4b is provided, and a second tank section 6b, in which the first drain outlet 4b is provided.

[0029] The first drain valve 10 is a valve body arranged to open and close the first drain outlet 4b, and the first drain outlet 4b is opened by the first drain valve 10 being pulled upward. This causes flush water in the first tank section 6a of the flush water tank 4 to be discharged into the rim water conduit 2f (Fig. 1) of the flush toilet main body 2 and discharged from the rim spout 2d. Also, in this embodiment, the first drain valve 10 is a valve body equipped with a float 10b, and is configured to gently descend as the water level in the first tank section 6a drops after being pulled up from the first drain outlet 4b and opened.

[0030] In this embodiment, the user rotates lever handle 5a provided on flush water tank 4 to pull up first drain valve 10, thereby opening first drain valve 10. Also, in this embodiment, the large flush mode and the small flush mode can be selectively executed depending on the direction in which lever handle 5a is rotated. Note that lever handle 5a constitutes part of the operation unit 5, and this operation unit 5 selectively executes the large flush mode and the small flush mode in which a smaller amount of flush water is supplied to bowl portion 2a than in the large flush mode and a flush sequence different from that in the large flush mode is executed. The configuration of operation unit 5 will be described later.

[0031] The second drain valve 12 is a valve body arranged to open and close the second drain outlet 4c, and the second drain outlet 4c is opened by pulling the second drain valve 12 upward. This causes the flush water in the second tank section 6b of the flush water tank 4 to be discharged into the jet water conduit 2g (Figure 1) of the flush toilet main body 2 and sprayed from the jet water outlet 2e.

[0032] In this embodiment, the second drain valve 12 is configured to be pulled up from the second drain port 4c by the water pressure drive mechanism 16. The second drain valve 12 is a valve body including a valve stem 12a extending upward and a float ball 12b, and the valve stem 12a is pulled up by the water pressure drive mechanism 16. Then, when the second drain valve 12 is pulled up to a predetermined height, it is separated from the water pressure drive mechanism 16 and gradually descends as the water level in the second tank portion 6b drops, closing the second drain port 4c.

[0033] The ball tap 14, which is a delay mechanism, is configured so that flush water supplied from the water source 7 flows in through the inlet pipe 14a, and due to the action of this ball tap 14, during large flushing, the second drain valve 12 opens later than the first drain valve 10.

[0034] Next, the configuration of the operation unit 5 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in Figure 3, the operating unit 5 has a lever handle 5a which is a handle provided on the side of the flush water tank 4, a shaft 5b which is rotated by this lever handle 5a, a first arm 5c and a second arm 5d attached to this shaft, a large flush ball chain 5e which connects the first arm 5c to the first drain valve 10, and a small flush ball chain 5f which connects the second arm 5d to the first drain valve 10.

[0035] The lever handle 5a is a lever provided on the side of the flush water tank 4 and is configured to be rotatable to the front and rear of the flush toilet device 1, and depending on the direction it is rotated, either the large flush mode or the small flush mode can be selectively executed.

[0036] Shaft 5b is fixed to lever handle 5a, and is a rod-shaped member that extends horizontally in the width direction of the flush toilet device 1, inside the upper part of the flush water tank 4. This shaft 5b is supported rotatably relative to the flush water tank 4, and is rotated together with the lever handle 5a by rotating the lever handle 5a.

[0037] The first arm 5c is a long, thin member fixed in a direction perpendicular to the shaft 5b, and extends horizontally toward the front of the flush toilet device 1. One end of a large-flush ball chain 5e is attached to the tip of the first arm 5c, and the other end of this large-flush ball chain 5e is fixed to the first drain valve 10. With this configuration, when the lever handle 5a is rotated in the direction of arrow D1, which is the first direction, the tip of the first arm 5c moves upward. As a result, the large-flush ball chain 5e is pulled upward, and the first drain valve 10 is pulled up, opening it.

[0038] The second arm 5d is a long, thin member fixed in a direction perpendicular to the shaft 5b, and extends horizontally toward the front and rear of the flush toilet device 1. One end of a small-flush ball chain 5f is attached to the rear end of the second arm 5d, and the other end of this small-flush ball chain 5f is fixed to the first drain valve 10. Meanwhile, a protrusion 5g that protrudes downward is provided at the front end of the second arm 5d, and this protrusion 5g is located above and in the vicinity of the float 24 of the ball tap 14 (Figure 4).

[0039] With this configuration, when the lever handle 5a is rotated in the second direction, that is, the direction of the arrow D2, the rear end of the second arm 5d moves upward. This pulls the small-flush ball chain 5f upward, pulling up the first drain valve 10 and opening it. At the same time, the protruding part 5g at the front end of the second arm 5d moves downward, pushing the float 24 provided on the ball tap 14 downward. This opens the main valve body 20 (FIG. 4) provided on the ball tap 14, and water supply to the water pressure drive mechanism 16 begins. The configuration and operation of the ball tap 14 will be described later.

[0040] In this way, when the lever handle 5a is rotated in the direction of the arrow D1, the large-flush ball chain 5e is pulled upward, the first drain valve 10 is pulled up, and the large-flush mode is executed. Also, when the lever handle 5a is rotated in the direction of the arrow D2 opposite to the arrow D1, the small-flush ball chain 5f is pulled upward, the first drain valve 10 is pulled up, and the small-flush mode is executed. Here, in this embodiment, the large-flush ball chain 5e is configured to be shorter (less loose) than the small-flush ball chain 5f. Therefore, when the first drain valve 10 is pulled up by the large-flush ball chain 5e, it is pulled up to a higher position than when it is pulled up by the small-flush ball chain 5f. As a result, when the large-flush mode is executed, the first drain valve 10 is open for a longer period of time than when the small-flush mode is executed, and the amount of flush water discharged from the rim spout 2d is also increased.

[0041] Next, the configuration of the ball tap 14 will be described with reference to FIG. 4, the ball tap 14 has a main body 18 to which the inlet pipe 14a and the outlet pipe 14b are connected, a main valve body 20 arranged in this main body 18, a valve seat 22 on which the main valve body 20 sits, an arm portion 26 that is rotated by a float 24, and a pilot valve 28 that is moved by the rotation of the arm portion 26. In other words, the ball tap 14 is equipped with a float 24 that operates in conjunction with the water level in the flush water tank 4, and is configured to supply flush water to the water pressure drive mechanism 16 when the float 24 descends to a predetermined position.

[0042] The main body 18 is a member having a connection part for the inflow pipe 14a at the bottom and a connection part for the outflow pipe 14b on one side. A valve seat 22 is formed inside the main body 18, and this valve seat 22 is configured to communicate with the outflow pipe 14b connected to the connection part. A main valve body 20 is disposed inside the main body 18 to open and close the valve seat 22, and is configured so that when the valve is open, tap water flowing in from the inflow pipe 14a flows through the valve seat 22 and out to the outflow pipe 14b. The outflow pipe 14b is connected to the water pressure drive mechanism 16.

[0043] The main valve element 20 is a generally disc-shaped diaphragm-type valve element, and is attached inside the body 18 so as to be able to seat on and release from a valve seat 22. A bleed hole 20a is provided on the periphery of the main valve element 20. A pressure chamber 18a is formed inside the body 18 on the opposite side of the valve seat 22 (the left side in FIG. 4 ) of the main valve element 20. That is, the pressure chamber 18a is defined by the inner wall surface of the body 18 and the main valve element 20, and when the pressure inside the pressure chamber 18a increases, the main valve element 20 is pressed against the valve seat 22 by this pressure and seats on the valve seat 22.

[0044] Furthermore, a pressure passage 18b extends upward so as to communicate with the pressure chamber 18a provided within the main body 18, and a pilot valve port 28a is provided at the upper end of this pressure passage 18b. This pilot valve port 28a opens upward and is configured to be opened and closed by a pilot valve 28.

[0045] On the other hand, the float 24 is supported by an arm portion 26, which is rotatably supported by a support shaft 26a. Furthermore, a pilot valve 28 is connected to the arm portion 26, and the pilot valve 28 is configured to move up and down as the arm portion 26 rotates. As a result, when the water level in the first tank portion 6a of the flush water tank 4 rises to or above a predetermined set water level L1, the float 24 is pushed upward, and the pilot valve 28 is moved downward accordingly, seated on the pilot valve port 28a, and closed. On the other hand, when the flush water in the first tank portion 6a is drained and the water level in the first tank portion 6a drops, the float 24 moves downward, the pilot valve 28 moves upward, and the pilot valve port 28a opens. For this reason, during standby for toilet flushing when the water level in the first tank portion 6a is higher than the set water level L1, the pilot valve port 28a of the main body portion 18 is in a closed state.

[0046] Furthermore, tap water that flows into the main body 18 from the inlet pipe 14a flows into the annular space around the valve seat 22, and from there flows into the pressure chamber 18a through the bleed hole 20a of the main valve body 20. Here, when the pilot valve port 28a is closed by the pilot valve 28, there is no path for the tap water that has flowed into the pressure chamber 18a from the bleed hole 20a to flow out, and the pressure in the pressure chamber 18a rises. When the pressure in the pressure chamber 18a rises in this way, this pressure presses the main valve body 20 toward the valve seat 22 (to the right in FIG. 3), and the valve seat 22 is closed by the main valve body 20.

[0047] On the other hand, when the first drain valve 10 is opened by the flushing operation and the water level in the first tank portion 6a of the flush water tank 4 falls below the set water level L1, the float 24 moves downward, the pilot valve 28 moves upward, and the pilot valve port 28a opens. When the pilot valve port 28a opens, the water in the pressure chamber 18a flows out from the pilot valve port 28a, and the pressure in the pressure chamber 18a drops. This causes the main valve body 20 to move away from the valve seat 22 (to the left in FIG. 4), and the valve seat 22 opens. In this way, when the pilot valve port 28a is open, the pressure in the pressure chamber 18a does not rise, so the valve seat 22 is in an open state.

[0048] As described above, the ball tap 14 is configured such that the float 24 moves up and down in conjunction with the water level in the flush water tank 4, and when the float 24 drops to a predetermined position, the main valve body 20 opens and flush water is supplied to the water pressure drive mechanism 16. However, as described above, the protrusion 5g (FIG. 3) of the operating unit 5 is located above and in the vicinity of the float 24. Then, when the protrusion 5g is moved downward by operating the lever handle 5a, the float 24 of the ball tap 14 is pushed down. As a result, the float 24 is forcibly pushed down, regardless of the water level in the flush water tank 4, and the main valve body 20 opens. In this way, when the float 24 is forcibly lowered based on the operation of the operating unit 5, the supply of flush water to the water pressure drive mechanism 16 begins, regardless of the water level in the flush water tank 4.

[0049] Next, the configuration of the water hydraulic drive mechanism 16 will be described with reference to FIG. The water pressure drive mechanism 16 is configured to drive the second drain valve 12 using the water supply pressure of flush water supplied from the waterworks to the flush water tank. Specifically, the water pressure drive mechanism 16 has a cylinder 16a into which water supplied from the ball tap 14 flows, a piston 16b slidably arranged within the cylinder 16a, and a rod 30 that protrudes from the lower end of the cylinder 16a and drives the second drain valve 12. Furthermore, a spring 16c is arranged inside the cylinder 16a to urge the piston 16b downward, and a packing is attached to the piston 16b to ensure watertightness between the inner wall surface of the cylinder 16a and the piston 16b. In addition, a clutch mechanism 32 is provided at the lower end of the rod 30, and the clutch mechanism 32 connects / disconnects the rod 30 and the valve shaft 12a of the second drain valve 12.

[0050] The cylinder 16a is a cylindrical member, and is disposed with its axis oriented vertically, and slidably receives a piston 16b inside. An outlet pipe 14b extending from the ball tap 14 is connected to the lower end of the cylinder 16a, so that the flushing water flowing out from the ball tap 14 flows into the cylinder 16a. Therefore, the piston 16b in the cylinder 16a is pushed up against the biasing force of the spring 16c by the water flowing into the cylinder 16a.

[0051] Meanwhile, an outflow hole is provided at the upper end of the cylinder 16a, and the water supply pipe 34 communicates with the inside of the cylinder 16a through this outflow hole. Therefore, when water flows into the cylinder 16a from the outflow pipe 14b connected to the lower part of the cylinder 16a, the piston 16b is pushed upward from the lower part of the cylinder 16a. Then, when the piston 16b is pushed up to a position above the outflow hole, the water that has flowed into the cylinder 16a flows out from the outflow hole into the water supply pipe 34. Also, the flush water that has flowed into the water supply pipe 34 falls into the second tank portion 6b of the flush water tank 4, and supplies flush water to the flush water tank 4.

[0052] The rod 30 is a rod-shaped member connected to the underside of the piston 16b, and extends through a through hole formed in the bottom surface of the cylinder 16a so as to protrude downward from within the cylinder 16a. The lower end of the rod 30 is connected to the valve shaft 12a of the second drain valve 12 via a clutch mechanism 32, and the rod 30 connects the piston 16b and the second drain valve 12. Therefore, when water flows into the cylinder 16a and the piston 16b is pushed up, the rod 30 connected to the piston 16b lifts the second drain valve 12 upward, and the second drain valve 12 opens.

[0053] In addition, a gap is provided between the rod 30 protruding from the lower side of the cylinder 16a and the inner wall of the through hole of the cylinder 16a, and some of the water that flows into the cylinder 16a flows out from this gap. The water that flows out from the gap flows into the second tank portion 6b. Note that, since this gap is relatively narrow and has a large flow resistance, even if water flows out from the gap, the pressure inside the cylinder 16a increases due to the water flowing into the cylinder 16a from the outflow pipe 14b, and the piston 16b is pushed up against the biasing force of the spring 16c.

[0054] Furthermore, the clutch mechanism 32 detachably connects the rod 30 and the second drain valve 12. When the second drain valve 12 is lifted a predetermined distance together with the rod 30, the clutch mechanism 32 is configured to separate the valve stem 12a of the second drain valve 12 from the rod 30. With the clutch mechanism 32 in a disengaged state, the second drain valve 12 is no longer linked to the movement of the piston 16b and the upper part of the rod 30, and the second drain valve 12 descends as the water level in the second tank portion 6b of the flush water tank 4 drops.

[0055] Next, with additional reference to Figs. 6 to 14, the operation of the flush toilet device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be explained. Figures 6 to 9 are schematic diagrams illustrating the operation when the large-flush mode is executed by a flush toilet apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 is a time chart showing the operation when the large-flush mode is executed by a flush toilet apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Figures 11 to 13 are schematic diagrams illustrating the operation when the small-flush mode is executed by a flush toilet apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 14 is a time chart showing the operation when the small-flush mode is executed by a flush toilet apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0056] First, in the standby state for toilet flushing as described above, the first drain port 4b and the second drain port 4c of the flush water tank 4 are closed by the first drain valve 10 and the second drain valve 12, respectively, as shown in Fig. 2. Also, the second tank section 6b of the flush water tank 4 is full (the water level is the same as the upper end of the partition wall 6). Meanwhile, the initial water level L2 in the first tank section 6a is higher than a predetermined set water level L1 (the reason why the initial water level L2 is higher than the set water level L1 will be described later). As a result, the pilot valve port 28a of the main body section 18 (Fig. 4) of the ball tap 14 is in a closed state, and the valve seat 22 is closed by the main valve body 20.

[0057] Next, at time t1 in FIG. 10, when the user rotates the lever handle 5a of the flush water tank 4 to flush the toilet in the large flush mode, the large flush ball chain 5e lifts up the first drain valve 10. This causes the first drain valve 10 to be pulled away from the first drain outlet 4b, as shown in FIG. 6, and the first drain outlet 4b is opened. When the first drain outlet 4b is opened, the flush water stored in the first tank section 6a of the flush water tank 4 flows from the first drain outlet 4b into the rim water conduit 2f (FIG. 1) and is discharged from the rim water outlet 2d. The rim water outlet from the rim water outlet 2d creates a swirling flow on the waste receiving surface of the bowl section 2a, cleaning the waste receiving surface. The water level in the first tank section 6a drops as the flush water is discharged.

[0058] As flush water is discharged from the first drain port 4b, the water level in the first tank portion 6a drops. Then, at time t2 in Fig. 10, when the water level in the first tank portion 6a falls below the set water level L1, the float 24 of the ball tap 14 drops and the pilot valve 28 (Fig. 4) opens. This causes the pressure in the pressure chamber 18a to drop, opening the main valve body 20, and water supply to the water pressure drive mechanism 16 begins, as shown in Fig. 7.

[0059] When flush water is supplied to the water pressure drive mechanism 16, the flush water that has flowed into the cylinder 16a (FIG. 5) pushes up the piston 16b against the biasing force of the spring 16c. This causes the rod 30 connected to the piston 16b to pull up the valve shaft 12a of the second drain valve 12, opening the second drain port 4c. In other words, the second drain valve 12 is driven and opened by the water pressure of the tap water supplied via the ball tap 14. Thus, in the large flush mode, the first drain valve 10 is opened at time t1, and the second drain valve 12 is opened at time t2 after a predetermined time has elapsed.

[0060] When the second drain outlet 4c is opened, flush water stored in the second tank portion 6b of the flush water tank 4 flows from the second drain outlet 4c into the jet water conduit 2g (Fig. 1) and is discharged from the jet water outlet 2e. The jet water discharged from the jet water outlet 2e fills the drain trap pipe 2c, inducing a siphon action. The siphon action causes the retained water and waste matter in the bowl portion 2a to be sucked into the drain trap pipe 2c and discharged into the sewer piping (not shown).

[0061] When the second drain valve 12 is raised to a predetermined height together with the piston 16b of the hydraulic drive mechanism 16, the valve stem 12a of the second drain valve 12 is separated from the rod 30 by the clutch mechanism 32 (Fig. 5). As a result, the second drain valve 12 descends toward the second drain port 4c. Then, at time t3 in Fig. 10, as shown in Fig. 8, the second drain valve 12 seats on the second drain port 4c, and the second drain port 4c is closed. This stops the jet water spouting from the jet water outlet 2e. Note that the second drain port 4c and the jet water conduit 2g connected thereto have low flow resistance, so flush water is discharged from the jet water outlet 2e at a large flow rate. As a result, the water level in the second tank section 6b drops rapidly, and the second drain valve 12 is closed earlier than the first drain valve 10.

[0062] In the state shown in Fig. 8, the main valve body 20 of the ball tap 14 is open, so flush water supplied from the water supply source 7 (tap water) is supplied to the water pressure drive mechanism 16 via the ball tap 14 and flows into the second tank portion 6b from the water supply pipe 34 connected to the cylinder 16a. Meanwhile, the first drain valve 10 is still open, so flush water in the first tank portion 6a flows out from the first drain outlet 4b and is discharged from the rim water outlet 2d. After the jet water spouting is stopped at time t3 in Fig. 10, flush water discharged from the rim water outlet 2d is used as refill water to restore the water level in the bowl portion 2a to the retained water level in the standby state.

[0063] Next, at time t4 in Figure 10, when the water level in the second tank portion 6b of the flush water tank 4 drops to the dead water level DWL, the first drain valve 10 seats on the first drain outlet 4b and closes, as shown in Figure 9. This stops rim spouting from the rim spout outlet 2d.

[0064] Furthermore, since the main valve body 20 of the ball tap 14 is maintained in an open state even after the first drain valve 10 is closed, flush water supplied from the water supply source 7 (tap water) flows into the second tank portion 6b of the flush water tank 4 from the water supply pipe 34 via the ball tap 14 and the water pressure drive mechanism 16. Then, when the water level in the second tank portion 6b becomes higher than the height of the partition wall 6, flush water flows from the second tank portion 6b over the partition wall 6 into the first tank portion 6a. This causes the water level in the first tank portion 6a to rise. Then, at time t5 in FIG. 10, when the water level in the first tank portion 6a rises to the set water level L1, the float 24 of the ball tap 14 rises and the pilot valve 28 (FIG. 4) is closed.

[0065] In this way, when the pilot valve 28 is closed, flush water that has flowed into the pressure chamber 18a from the bleed hole 20a provided in the main valve element 20 of the ball tap 14 cannot flow out, and the pressure in the pressure chamber 18a rises. Then, at time t6 in Figure 10, the main valve element 20 is pressed by the pressure in the pressure chamber 18a and seats on the valve seat 22, closing the main valve element 20. This stops the supply of water from the water supply source 7 via the ball tap 14 to the water pressure drive mechanism 16, and stops the supply of flush water into the flush water tank 4.

[0066] When the water supply to the water hydraulic drive mechanism 16 is stopped, the piston 16b (Fig. 5) inside the cylinder 16a, which had been pushed up by the water supply, is pushed down by the biasing force of the spring 16c. As a result, the rod 30 attached to the piston 16b also drops. When the rod 30 drops to a predetermined position, the clutch mechanism 32 reconnects the rod 30 to the valve shaft 12a of the second drain valve 12. This completes one toilet flush, and the flush toilet device 1 returns to the toilet flush standby state shown in Fig. 2.

[0067] In this way, there is a certain time lag between the timing when the water level in the first tank portion 6a of the flush water tank 4 rises to the set water level L1 and the pilot valve 28 is closed (time t5 in FIG. 10), and the timing when the main valve body 20 of the ball tap 14 is closed (time t6 in FIG. 10). Then, between times t5 and t6, the main valve body 20 is open, so the supply of flush water continues, and when the main valve body 20 is closed at time t6, the water level in the first tank portion 6a becomes the initial water level L2, which is higher than the set water level L1.

[0068] As a result, the initial water level L2 in the first tank portion 6a when the flush toilet device 1 is in the standby state is higher than the predetermined set water level L1 at which the pilot valve 28 is closed. For this reason, in the standby state, at the time when the user operates the lever handle 5a (time t1 in FIG. 10), the water level in the first tank portion 6a is higher than the set water level L1, and the main valve body 20 of the ball tap 14 is not opened. Then, between times t1 and t2, a predetermined amount of flush water is discharged from the first drain outlet 4b as rim spouting, and when the water level in the first tank portion 6a drops to the set water level L1, the pilot valve 28 is opened and the main valve body 20 of the ball tap 14 is also opened. As a result, at time t2, water supply to the water pressure drive mechanism 16 begins, the water pressure drive mechanism 16 opens the second drain valve 12, and jet spouting begins.

[0069] Next, toilet flushing in the small flush mode will be described with reference to Figs. First, at time t11 in Fig. 14, when the user rotates the lever handle 5a of the flush water tank 4 to flush the toilet in the small-flush mode, the small-flush ball chain 5f lifts up the first drain valve 10. This causes the first drain valve 10 to be pulled away from the first drain outlet 4b, opening the first drain outlet 4b, as shown in Fig. 11. At the same time, by rotating the lever handle 5a, the protruding part 5g (Fig. 3) of the operating part 5 is moved downward, forcibly lowering the float 24 of the ball tap 14.

[0070] When the float 24 is lowered, the pilot valve 28 (Fig. 4) is opened. This reduces the pressure in the pressure chamber 18a, opening the main valve body 20, and water begins to be supplied to the water hydraulic drive mechanism 16, as shown in Fig. 11. When flush water is supplied to the water hydraulic drive mechanism 16, the second drain valve 12 is pulled up and the second drain port 4c is opened.

[0071] In this way, when the small-flush mode is executed, the float 24 is forcibly pushed down and water supply to the water pressure drive mechanism 16 begins without waiting for the water level in the first tank portion 6a to drop to the set water level L1. As a result, in the small-flush mode, the first drain valve 10 and the second drain valve 12 are opened substantially simultaneously, in other words, after the first drain valve 10 is opened, the second drain valve 12 is opened before a predetermined time (between times t1 and t2 in Figure 10) has elapsed. As a result, in the small-flush mode, rim spouting and jet water spouting begin approximately simultaneously at time t11 in Figure 14.

[0072] Furthermore, when the second drain valve 12 is raised to a predetermined height by the water pressure drive mechanism 16, the valve stem 12a of the second drain valve 12 is separated from the rod 30 by the clutch mechanism 32 (Fig. 5). As a result, the second drain valve 12 descends toward the second drain port 4c. Then, at time t12 in Fig. 14, the second drain valve 12 seats on the second drain port 4c, as shown in Fig. 12, and the second drain port 4c is closed. This stops the jet water spouting from the jet water outlet 2e. As described above, because flush water is discharged from the jet water outlet 2e at a large flow rate, the water level in the second tank section 6b drops rapidly, and the second drain valve 12 is closed earlier than the first drain valve 10.

[0073] 12, the main valve body 20 of the ball tap 14 is open, so flush water supplied from the water supply source 7 (tap water) is supplied to the water pressure drive mechanism 16 via the ball tap 14 and flows into the second tank portion 6b from the water supply pipe 34 connected to the cylinder 16a. Meanwhile, the first drain valve 10 is still open, so flush water in the first tank portion 6a flows out from the first drain outlet 4b and is discharged from the rim water outlet 2d.

[0074] Next, at time t13 in Figure 14, when the water level in the second tank section 6b of the flush water tank 4 drops to the dead water level DWL, the first drain valve 10 seats on the first drain outlet 4b and closes, as shown in Figure 13. This stops rim spouting from the rim spout outlet 2d.

[0075] Here, the height to which the first drain valve 10 is raised by the small-flush ball chain 5f of the operating unit 5 at time t11 in Figure 14 when the small-flush mode is being performed is set lower than the height to which the first drain valve 10 is raised in the large-flush mode, as described above. For this reason, the period from when the first drain valve 10 is opened in the small-flush mode until it is closed (the period from times t11 to t13 in Figure 14) is shorter than the open period of the first drain valve 10 in the large-flush mode (the period from times t1 to t4 in Figure 10). As a result, the amount of flush water discharged from the rim spout 2d in the small-flush mode is less than the amount of flush water discharged from the rim spout 2d in the large-flush mode, and the dead water level DWL in Figure 13 (small-flush mode) is higher than the dead water level DWL in Figure 9 (large-flush mode).

[0076] Furthermore, after rim spouting is stopped at time t13 in Figure 14, the water level in the first tank section 6a of the flush water tank 4 rises to the set water level L1 at time t14 and the pilot valve 28 is closed. Furthermore, at time t15, the main valve body 20 of the ball tap 14 is closed and the flush toilet device 1 returns to the standby state. The operations after time t13 until the flush toilet device 1 returns to the standby state are the same as in the large flush mode, so explanations will be omitted.

[0077] In this embodiment, in the small-flush mode, the first drain valve 10 and the second drain valve 12 are opened almost simultaneously. However, as a modified example, the present invention can be configured so that the second drain valve 12 is opened before a predetermined time (between times t1 and t2 in FIG. 10) has elapsed after the first drain valve 10 is opened. In this case, for example, an appropriate gap is provided between the protrusion 5g (FIG. 3) of the operation unit 5 and the float 24 of the ball tap 14. As a result, when the shaft 5b is rotated in the direction of the arrow D2, after the first drain valve 10 is pulled up by the small-flush ball chain 5f, the protrusion 5g forcibly pushes down the float 24 with a short delay (before the predetermined time has elapsed), water supply to the water pressure drive mechanism 16 is started, and the second drain valve 12 is pulled up.

[0078] According to the flush toilet device 1 of the first embodiment of the present invention, the discharge and stopping of flush water from the rim spout 2d is switched by the first drain valve 10, and the discharge and stopping of flush water from the jet spout 2e is switched by the second drain valve 12 (Fig. 2), so the timing of rim spouting and jet spouting can be freely and independently set while all the flush water used for flushing is supplied from the flush water tank 4. This allows the bowl section 2a of the flush toilet main body 2 to be effectively flushed with flush water stored in the flush water tank 4. Also, according to the flush toilet device 1 of the first embodiment of the present invention, when the large flush mode (Fig. 10) is performed, flush water is supplied to the bowl section 2a by opening the first drain valve 10 and then opening the second drain valve 12 a predetermined time later, and when the small flush mode (Fig. 14) is performed, the first drain valve 10 and the second drain valve 12 are opened substantially simultaneously. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the amount of rim water spouting before the start of jet water spouting, which is less necessary in the small flush mode, and it is possible to suppress the amount of flush water while ensuring sufficient flushing performance.

[0079] Furthermore, with the flush toilet device 1 of this embodiment, the second drain valve 12 is opened by the water pressure drive mechanism 16, so in large flush mode, jet water spouting can be started a predetermined time after rim spouting has begun, without the drain valve being pulled up by electrical power such as a motor. This makes it possible to effectively flush the bowl portion 2a while suppressing the amount of flush water.

[0080] Furthermore, according to the flush toilet device 1 of this embodiment, when the large flush mode is being performed, the float 24 lowers as the water level in the flush water tank 4 drops, and the supply of flush water to the water pressure drive mechanism 16 begins, so jet spouting begins after the water level in the flush water tank 4 drops. On the other hand, when the small flush mode is being performed, the float 24 is forcibly lowered and the supply of flush water to the water pressure drive mechanism 16 begins, so jet spouting begins without waiting for the water level in the flush water tank 4 to drop. This makes it possible to set the flush sequences for the large flush mode and small flush mode without using electrical control.

[0081] Furthermore, according to the flush toilet device 1 of this embodiment, when the lever handle 5a is rotated in a first direction, the large flush mode is executed, and when it is rotated in a second direction, the small flush mode is executed, so that the execution of the large flush mode and the small flush mode can be controlled with a simple mechanism.

[0082] Next, a flush toilet apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to Figures 14 and 15. The flush toilet device of this embodiment differs from the first embodiment described above in the configuration of the operation section for executing the large flush mode and small flush mode. Therefore, below, only the points in the second embodiment of the present invention that differ from the first embodiment will be explained, and similar configurations will be given the same reference numerals as in the first embodiment and explanations will be omitted.

[0083] Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view showing the general configuration of a flush water tank provided in a flush toilet apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Figure 16 is a schematic diagram showing the general configuration of an operating unit provided in a flush water tank in a flush toilet apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0084] As shown in Figure 15, the flush water tank 4 provided in the flush toilet device of this embodiment has a first drain valve 10, a second drain valve 12, a ball tap 14, and a water pressure drive mechanism 16. Also, as in the first embodiment described above, the bottom surface of the flush water tank 4 is provided with a first drain outlet 4b that is opened and closed by the first drain valve 10, and a second drain outlet 4c that is opened and closed by the second drain valve 12. Furthermore, a partition wall 6 is provided in the flush water tank 4, and the inside of the flush water tank 4 is divided into a first tank section 6a in which the first drain outlet 4b is provided, and a second tank section 6b in which the second drain outlet 4c is provided.

[0085] In this embodiment, a large-flush ball chain 40a and a small-flush ball chain 40b, which are provided in an operating section (not shown in FIG. 16), are connected to the first drain valve 10, and a small-flush ball chain 40c is connected to the second drain valve 12.

[0086] Next, as shown in FIG. 16, the operating unit 40 has a first button 42a for a large flush, a second button 42b for a small flush, a lever 44 that is pressed by these push buttons, a shaft 46 attached to the lever 44, and a first arm 48a and a second arm 48b attached to the shaft 46.

[0087] The first button 42a and the second button 42b are push buttons provided on the top surface of the flush water tank 4, and the user can press these buttons to execute the large flush mode or the small flush mode. Furthermore, these first button 42a and second button 42b are supported by the flush water tank 4 so that they can move up and down when pressed by the user. Furthermore, these first button 42a and second button 42b are configured to return to their original state by a spring (not shown) after being pressed by the user. Only the upper ends of the first button 42a and the second button 42b are exposed from the top surface of the flush water tank 4, and the lower parts are covered by a cover (not shown) on the top surface of the flush water tank 4.

[0088] The lever 44 is a rod-shaped member oriented generally horizontally so as to extend in the front-to-rear direction of the flush toilet device, and is positioned below the first button 42a and the second button 42b.

[0089] The shaft 46 is a rod-shaped member that extends horizontally in the width direction of the flush toilet device 1 within the upper part of the flush water tank 4. This shaft 46 is rotatably supported relative to the flush water tank 4, and a lever 44 is fixed to the middle part so as to be perpendicular to the shaft 46. When the first button 42a or the second button 42b is pressed, the shaft 46 rotates together with the lever 44. That is, the first button 42a is located above the end on the rear side of the lever 44, and when the first button 42a is pressed, the shaft 46 fixed to the lever 44 rotates in the direction of the arrow D1. On the other hand, the second button 42b is located above the end on the front side of the lever 44, and when the second button 42b is pressed, the shaft 46 fixed to the lever 44 rotates in the direction of the arrow D2.

[0090] The first arm 48a is an elongated member fixed in a direction perpendicular to the shaft 46, and extends horizontally toward the front and rear of the flush toilet device 1. One end of a large-flush ball chain 40a is attached to the front tip of the first arm 48a, and the other end of this large-flush ball chain 40a is fixed to the first drain valve 10. Meanwhile, one end of a small-flush ball chain 40b is attached to the rear tip of the first arm 48a, and the other end of this small-flush ball chain 40b is also fixed to the first drain valve 10.

[0091] The second arm 48b is a long, thin member fixed in a direction perpendicular to the shaft 46, and extends horizontally toward the rear of the flush toilet device 1. One end of the small-flush ball chain 40c is attached to the rear end of the second arm 48b, and the other end of this small-flush ball chain 40c is fixed to the second drain valve 12.

[0092] With this configuration, when the first button 42a for large flushing is pressed and the shaft 46 is rotated in the direction of the arrow D1, which is the first direction, the tip of the first arm 48a moves upward. This causes the large flushing ball chain 40a to be pulled upward, and the first drain valve 10 is pulled up and opened.

[0093] On the other hand, when the second small-flush button 42b is pressed and the shaft 46 is rotated in the second direction, that is, the direction of the arrow D2, the rear ends of the first arm 48a and the second arm 48b move upward. This causes the small-flush ball chain 40b to be pulled upward, and the first drain valve 10 to be pulled up and open. At the same time, the small-flush ball chain 40c attached to the rear end of the second arm 48b is also pulled upward, and the second drain valve 12 is pulled up and open.

[0094] In this way, when the first button 42a is pressed and the shaft 46 is rotated in the direction of the arrow D1, the large-flush ball chain 40a is pulled upward, the first drain valve 10 is pulled up, and the large-flush mode is executed. Also, when the second button 42b is pressed and the shaft 46 is rotated in the direction of the arrow D2 opposite to the arrow D1, the small-flush ball chains 40b, 40c are pulled upward, the first drain valve 10 and the second drain valve 12 are pulled up, and the small-flush mode is executed. Here, in this embodiment, the large-flush ball chain 40a is configured to be shorter (less loose) than the small-flush ball chain 40b. Therefore, when the first drain valve 10 is pulled up by the large-flush ball chain 40a, it is pulled up to a higher position than when it is pulled up by the small-flush ball chain 40b. As a result, when the large-flush mode is executed, the first drain valve 10 is opened for a longer period of time than when the small-flush mode is executed, and the amount of flush water discharged from the rim spout 2d is also increased.

[0095] Next, the operation of the flush toilet apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be explained. First, when the user presses the first button 42a for large flush, the first drain valve 10 is raised by the large flush ball chain 40a, and rim water is discharged from the rim spout 2d. When the first drain valve 10 is raised and flush water is discharged, the water level in the first tank section 6a drops from the initial water level L2 to the set water level L1, and the float 24 of the ball tap 14 drops and the pilot valve 28 opens.

[0096] This opens the main valve body 20 of the ball tap 14, and water supply to the water hydraulic drive mechanism 16 begins. When water supply to the water hydraulic drive mechanism 16 begins, the second drain valve 12 is opened by the water hydraulic drive mechanism 16, and jet water spouting is performed from the jet water spouting port 2e. That is to say, in the large flush mode which is started by pressing the first button 42a, jet water spouting begins a predetermined time (corresponding to times t1 to t2 in Figure 10 in the first embodiment) after rim water spouting from the rim water spouting port 2d. Note that the operation after jet water spouting in the large flush mode begins is the same as in the first embodiment described above, so description will be omitted.

[0097] Next, when the user presses the second button 42b for small-flush, the small-flush ball chain 40b and the small-flush ball chain 40c are pulled almost simultaneously, and the first drain valve 10 and the second drain valve 12 are raised. This causes rim water spouting from the rim water spout 2d and jet water spouting from the jet water spout 2e to start substantially simultaneously. That is, when the small-flush mode is being performed, the second drain valve 12 is forcibly opened and jet water spouting is started based on the operation of the operation unit 40. Next, when the water level in the first tank section 6a drops from the initial water level L2 to the set water level L1, the float 24 of the ball tap 14 is lowered and the pilot valve 28 is opened.

[0098] This opens the main valve body 20 of the ball tap 14, and water supply to the water hydraulic drive mechanism 16 begins. That is, in the small-flush mode, the second drain valve 12 is pulled up by the small-flush ball chain 40c, and then water supply to the water hydraulic drive mechanism 16 begins. The flush water supplied to the water hydraulic drive mechanism 16 flows into the second tank portion 6b through the water supply pipe 34. Note that the operation after water supply to the water hydraulic drive mechanism 16 begins in the small-flush mode is the same as in the first embodiment described above, and therefore will not be described.

[0099] In this embodiment, the first drain valve 10 and the second drain valve 12 are opened almost simultaneously in the small-flush mode, but as a modified example, the present invention can be configured so that the second drain valve 12 is opened before a predetermined time has elapsed after the first drain valve 10 is opened. In this case, for example, the small-flush ball chain 40c is configured to be slightly longer (slacker) than the small-flush ball chain 40b. As a result, when the shaft 46 is rotated in the direction of the arrow D2, the first drain valve 10 is pulled up by the small-flush ball chain 40b, and then the second drain valve 12 is pulled up by the small-flush ball chain 40c with a short delay (before the predetermined time has elapsed).

[0100] According to the flush toilet apparatus of the second embodiment of the present invention, when the large flush mode is being performed, the float 24 lowers as the water level in the first tank section 6a of the flush water tank 4 drops, and the supply of flush water to the water pressure drive mechanism 16 begins, so jet spouting begins after the water level in the flush water tank 4 drops. On the other hand, when the small flush mode is being performed, the second drain valve 12 is forcibly opened and jet spouting begins based on the operation of the operating section 40. This makes it possible to set the flush sequences for the large flush mode and the small flush mode without using electrical control.

[0101] Furthermore, according to the flush toilet device of this embodiment, when the first button 42a is pressed the large flush mode is executed, and when the second button 42b is pressed the small flush mode is executed, so that the execution of the large flush mode and the small flush mode can be controlled with a simple mechanism.

[0102] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, various modifications can be made to the above-described embodiments. In particular, in the above-described first embodiment, a lever handle is provided as the operation unit, and in the second embodiment, first and second buttons are provided as the operation unit, but the present invention can also be configured so that the large flush mode and the small flush mode can be selectively executed by any other operation unit. Also, the first and second buttons can be applied to the first embodiment of the present invention, and the lever handle can be applied to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0103] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, a partition wall is provided in the flush water tank, and a first drain outlet and a second drain outlet are provided in the first tank section and the second tank section, respectively, but the partition wall of the flush water tank can be omitted. In this case, the first drain outlet and the second drain outlet may be configured to overlap each other in a top view. In this case, for example, the present invention can be configured so that the first drain outlet and the second drain outlet are provided concentrically, and the inner drain outlet is opened and closed by a circular drain valve, and the outer drain outlet is opened and closed by a donut-shaped drain valve. [Explanation of symbols]

[0104] 1 Flush toilet device 2 Flush toilet body 2a Bowl section 2c Drain trap line 2d rim spout 2e Jet outlet 2f Rim Waterway 2g Jet Waterway 4 Cleaning water tank 4b First drain 4c Second drain 5 Control section 5a Lever handle (handle) 5b Shaft 5c First Arm 5d Second Arm 5e Large cleaning ball chain 5f Small cleaning ball chain 5g protrusion 6 Partition Wall 6a First Tank Section 6b Second tank section 7 Water source 8. Stopcock 10 First drain valve 10a ball chain 10b Floating ball 12 Second drain valve 12a Valve stem 12b Floating ball 14 Ball tap (delay mechanism) 14a Inflow pipe 14b Outflow pipe 16 Water Hydraulic Drive Mechanism 16a Cylinder 16b Piston 16c spring 18 Main body 18a Pressure chamber 20 Main valve body 20a bleed hole 22 Valve seat 24 Float 26 Arm section 26a Support shaft 28 Pilot valve 28a Pilot valve port 30 Rod 32 Clutch mechanism 34 Water supply pipe 40 Control section 40a Large cleaning ball chain 40b Small cleaning ball chain 40c Small cleaning ball chain 42a Button 1 42b Second Button 44 Lever 46 Shaft 48a 1st Arm 48b 2nd Arm

Claims

1. A flush toilet apparatus that performs flushing in a large flush mode and a small flush mode using flush water stored in a flush water tank, a flush toilet body having a bowl portion and a drain trap pipe extending from a lower portion of the bowl portion; a flush water tank that is disposed at the rear of the flush toilet main body and stores flush water for flushing the bowl portion of the flush toilet main body; a first drain valve that switches between opening and closing a first drain outlet provided in the flush water tank to start and stop the discharge of flush water from a rim spout provided on the upper edge of the bowl portion; a second drain valve that switches between opening and closing a second drain outlet provided in the flush water tank to start and stop the discharge of flush water from a jet water outlet provided in the lower part of the bowl portion; an operating unit capable of selectively executing a large flushing mode and a small flushing mode in which an amount of flush water supplied to the bowl portion is smaller than that in the large flushing mode; having A flush toilet device characterized in that, when a large flush mode is executed, flush water is supplied to the bowl section by opening the first drain valve and then opening the second drain valve after a predetermined time has elapsed, and, when a small flush mode is executed, the first drain valve and the second drain valve are opened simultaneously, or, after the first drain valve is opened, the second drain valve is opened before the predetermined time has elapsed.

2. The flush toilet device according to claim 1, wherein the operating unit is configured to open the first drain valve and then the second drain valve when a large-flush mode is executed, and is configured to open the first drain valve and the second drain valve substantially simultaneously when a small-flush mode is executed.

3. 2. A flush toilet apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a water pressure drive mechanism which uses the water supply pressure of flush water supplied from a water main to said flush water tank to open said second drain valve.

4. A flush toilet apparatus as set forth in claim 3, further comprising a ball tap equipped with a float that operates in conjunction with the water level in the flush water tank, this ball tap being configured to supply flush water to the water pressure drive mechanism when the float lowers to a predetermined position, and when a large flush mode is executed by the operating unit, the float lowers as the water level in the flush water tank drops and the supply of flush water to the water pressure drive mechanism begins, and when a small flush mode is executed, the float is forcibly lowered based on operation of the operating unit and the supply of flush water to the water pressure drive mechanism begins.

5. A flush toilet device as set forth in claim 3, further comprising a ball tap equipped with a float that operates in conjunction with the water level in the flush water tank, this ball tap being configured to supply flush water to the water pressure drive mechanism when the float drops to a predetermined position, and when a large flush mode is executed by the operating unit, the float drops as the water level in the flush water tank drops and the supply of flush water to the water pressure drive mechanism begins, and when a small flush mode is executed, the second drain valve is forcibly opened based on operation of the operating unit before the float drops to the predetermined position.

6. 5. The flush toilet apparatus according to claim 2 or 4, wherein the operating unit comprises a handle, and when the handle is rotated in a first direction, a large flush mode is executed, and when the handle is rotated in a second direction opposite to the first direction, a small flush mode is executed.

7. 5. The flush toilet apparatus according to claim 2 or 4, wherein the operating section comprises a first button and a second button, and when the first button is pressed, a large flush mode is executed, and when the second button is pressed, a small flush mode is executed.

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