Washing water tank device and flush toilet bowl device having the same

Abstract

To provide a washing water tank device capable of keeping low profile despite having a plurality of tanks for storing washing water.SOLUTION: A washing water tank device (4) of the invention comprises: an outer tank (12); an inner tank (14) disposed in the outer tank; a feed water valve (16); a first water discharge / stop switching mechanism (8) that is disposed in the outer tank and outside the inner tank and switches between supply and stop of the washing water stored in the outer tank to a flush toilet bowl body; and a second water discharge / stop switching mechanism (10) that is disposed in the inner tank and switches between supply and stop of the washing water stored in the inner tank to the flush toilet bowl body. The feed water valve is constituted so as to feed the washing water into the inner tank. The washing water fed into the inner tank overflows from two or more sides of the inner tank and flows into the outer tank.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a flush water tank apparatus, and in particular to a flush water tank apparatus that is attached to a flush toilet body in use so as to supply flush water, and a flush toilet apparatus equipped with the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 6-56183 (Patent Document 1) describes a toilet flushing water supply device. In this toilet flushing water supply device, a tank that stores flush water is divided into two by a partition plate, and a drain valve is provided in each of the divided tanks. A ball tap water supply valve is provided on one side of the tank separated by the partition plate, and flush water supplied from a water supply source flows into it. When the water level in the tank on the side where the ball tap water supply valve is provided rises and exceeds the height of the partition plate, the flush water overflows the upper edge of the partition plate and flows into the side where the ball tap water supply valve is not provided. In this way, in the toilet flushing water supply device described in Patent Document 1, flush water is supplied to both tanks separated by the partition plate by a single water supply valve (ball tap water supply valve). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Application No. 6-56183 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] A configuration like the toilet flushing water supply device described in Patent Document 1, in which the flush water tank is divided and each tank is equipped with a drain valve, allows for accurate setting of the amount of flush water supplied via each drain valve, which is effective for saving water and improving flushing performance. However, the toilet flushing water supply device described in Patent Document 1 has a structure in which flush water supplied from the water supply valve overflows a partition plate and flows into the other tank, making it difficult to achieve a low-profile flush water tank. Specifically, various mechanisms and electrical components, such as a device for operating the drain valve, are generally located above the flush water tank's water surface, and flooding these components can cause malfunctions. However, when flush water overflows the partition plate, it is necessary to secure a certain amount of space above the level of the overflowing flush water before arranging the electrical components. For this reason, the toilet flushing water supply device described in Patent Document 1 requires a large amount of space above the upper edge of the partition plate, making it difficult to achieve a low-profile flush water tank.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a flush water tank device that can be made to have a low silhouette while being provided with multiple tanks for storing flush water, and a flush toilet device that is equipped with the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a flush water tank device that is attached to a flush toilet main body and used to supply flush water, comprising: an outer tank that stores flush water to be supplied to the flush toilet main body; an inner tank made of resin that is placed inside the outer tank and stores flush water to be supplied to the flush toilet main body; a water supply valve that switches the supply and stopping of flush water to be stored in the outer tank and inner tank; a first water discharge stop switching mechanism that is placed inside the outer tank but outside the inner tank and switches the supply of flush water stored in the outer tank to the flush toilet main body on and off; and a second water discharge stop switching mechanism that is placed inside the inner tank and switches the supply of flush water stored in the inner tank on and off to the flush toilet main body, wherein the water supply valve is configured to supply flush water into the inner tank, and the flush water supplied into the inner tank overflows from two or more sides of the inner tank and flows into the outer tank.

[0007] According to the present invention configured in this way, the water supply valve is configured to supply flush water into the inner tank, and the flush water supplied into the inner tank overflows from two or more sides of the inner tank and flows into the outer tank, so the edge over which the flush water overflows can be made longer and the level of flush water that flows over the edge of the inner tank can be kept low. As a result, it is possible to set the space that should be provided above the inner tank low, allowing for a low-profile flush water tank device.

[0008] In the present invention, the inner tank is preferably configured so that the outer periphery of its upper end is at least half the outer periphery of the upper end of the outer tank.

[0009] According to the present invention configured in this manner, the outer periphery length of the upper end of the inner tank is set to be at least half the outer periphery length of the upper end of the outer tank, so the edge of the inner tank over which the flush water overflows can be set sufficiently long, and the level of the flush water that flows over the edge of the inner tank can be kept low.

[0010] In the present invention, the inner tank is preferably configured so that the cross-sectional area varies in the height direction, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the upper part of the inner tank is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the lower part.

[0011] According to the present invention configured in this way, the cross-sectional area of ​​the upper part of the inner tank is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the lower part, making it possible to make the edge of the inner tank over which flush water overflows longer. As a result, the level of flush water that flows over the edge of the inner tank can be kept low. Also, because the cross-sectional area of ​​the upper part of the inner tank is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the lower part, a large amount of flush water with a high head pressure is stored within the inner tank. This makes it possible to increase the instantaneous flow rate of flush water discharged from the inner tank, allowing the flush toilet body to be effectively cleaned.

[0012] In the present invention, the water supply valve is preferably configured to allow flush water to flow into the inner tank from a water supply port provided below the water surface in the inner tank.

[0013] According to the present invention configured in this way, the water supply valve is configured to allow flush water to flow into the inner tank from a water supply port provided below the water surface in the inner tank, so it is possible to prevent rippling of the flush water that flows into the inner tank from the water supply port.As a result, even if the space above the inner tank is set low, it is possible to reduce the risk of equipment placed above the inner tank becoming wet, and it is possible to give the flush water tank apparatus a low silhouette.

[0014] In the present invention, the inner tank is preferably configured so that the outer periphery of its upper end is longer than the outer periphery of the upper end of the outer tank.

[0015] According to the present invention configured in this manner, the outer periphery of the upper end of the inner tank is longer than the outer periphery of the upper end of the outer tank, so the edge of the inner tank over which the flushing water overflows can be set extremely long, and the level of the flushing water that flows over the edge of the inner tank can be kept sufficiently low.

[0016] The present invention is also a flush toilet device that is flushed with flush water stored in a flush water tank, characterized by having a flush toilet main body provided with a bowl portion, a rim spout, and a jet spout, and a flush water tank device of the present invention that supplies flush water to the rim spout and jet spout of this flush toilet main body. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] The flush water tank device of the present invention, and the flush toilet device equipped with it, can achieve a low silhouette while providing multiple tanks for storing flush water. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a flush toilet apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a top view showing the schematic configuration of a flush toilet apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a front cross-sectional view showing the general configuration of a flush water tank apparatus provided in a flush toilet apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of a ball tap built into a flush water tank device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of a water pressure drive mechanism built into a flush water tank assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 4 is a time chart showing the operation of a flush toilet device according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] Next, a flush water tank apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and a flush toilet apparatus equipped with the same, will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a flush toilet apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a top view showing the general configuration of a flush toilet apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a front cross-sectional view showing the general configuration of a flush water tank apparatus provided in a flush toilet apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of a ball tap built into a flush water tank apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of a water pressure drive mechanism built into a flush water tank apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a flush toilet apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is made up of a flush toilet main body 2 and a flush water tank apparatus 4 located at the rear of this flush toilet main body 2. The flush toilet apparatus 1 of this embodiment is configured so that flushing is carried out by operating a lever handle 4a provided on the flush water tank apparatus 4 after use.

[0021] The flush toilet body 2 comprises a bowl portion 2a and a drain trap pipe 2b extending from the bottom of the bowl portion 2a. A rim water outlet 2c is provided on the upper edge of the bowl portion 2a, and a jet water outlet 2d is provided on the bottom of the bowl portion 2a. When flushing the toilet, flush water is discharged from the rim water outlet 2c and the jet water outlet 2d 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 2b. The waste and flush water discharged into the drain trap pipe 2b pass through a drain socket (not shown) and are discharged into the sewer pipe (not shown).

[0022] Flush water is supplied to the flush water tank apparatus 4 from a water supply source 6 such as a water line, and the supplied flush water is stored inside the flush water tank apparatus 4. The flush water tank apparatus 4 also has built-in first drain valve 8, which is a first discharge / stop switching mechanism, and second drain valve 10, which is a second discharge / stop switching mechanism, and these are configured to open and close drain ports provided at the bottom of the flush water tank apparatus 4, respectively.

[0023] In this embodiment, by opening the first drain valve 8, flush water passes through the rim water conduit 2e formed inside the flush toilet main body 2, and is discharged from the rim water spout 2c. Also, by opening the second drain valve 10, flush water passes through the jet water conduit 2f formed inside the flush toilet main body 2, and is discharged from the jet water spout 2d.

[0024] Next, the internal structure of the flush water tank device 4 will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the flush water tank device 4 has an outer tank 12, an inner tank 14 arranged inside the outer tank, a first drain valve 8 arranged in the outer tank 12, a second drain valve 10 arranged in the inner tank 14, a ball tap 16 which is a water supply valve, and a water hydraulic drive mechanism 18.

[0025] The outer tank 12 and inner tank 14 are containers configured to store flush water to be supplied to the flush toilet body 2. In this embodiment, the outer tank 12 is made of ceramic, and the inner tank 14, which is placed inside this outer tank 12, is made of resin.

[0026] 3, a first drain outlet 12a and a second drain outlet 12b are provided on the bottom surface of the outer tank 12, and in this embodiment, these drain outlets are configured to be circular. Here, flush water stored inside the outer tank 12 (and outside the inner tank 14) flows into the rim water conduit 2e of the flush toilet main body 2 through the first drain outlet 12a, and flush water stored in the inner tank 14 flows into the jet water conduit 2f of the flush toilet main body 2 through the second drain outlet 12b.

[0027] The inner tank 14 is placed on the bottom surface of the outer tank 12, and the lower part of the inner tank 14 is submerged in the flush water stored in the outer tank 12. A circular discharge outlet 14a is also formed on the bottom surface of the inner tank 14. This discharge outlet 14a of the inner tank 14 is arranged concentrically so as to match with the second drain outlet 12b provided in the outer tank 12. That is, in this embodiment, the center of the circular second drain outlet 12b and the circular discharge outlet 14a coincide when viewed from above. For this reason, the flush water in the inner tank 14 flows into the jet water conduit 2f of the flush toilet body 2 through the discharge outlet 14a of the inner tank 14 and the second drain outlet 12b of the outer tank 12.

[0028] 3, in this embodiment, the discharge port 14a of the inner tank 14 is formed by a discharge port forming member 14b that is formed separately from the main body of the inner tank 14. This discharge port forming member 14b is a cylindrical member that is attached watertight to the bottom surface of the inner tank 14 and forms the discharge port 14a inside. In addition, a seat surface is provided at the upper end of the discharge port forming member 14b, and the discharge port 14a is closed when the second drain valve 10 sits on this seat surface. Therefore, in this embodiment, the seat surface on which the second drain valve 10 sits is formed by a member separate from the inner tank 14.

[0029] 2, the outer tank 12 of the flush water tank device 4 is configured in a generally rectangular shape when viewed from above, with a long width (the direction of arrow W in FIG. 2) of the flush toilet main body 2 and a short depth (the direction of arrow D in FIG. 2). The inner tank 14, which is placed inside the outer tank 12, is also configured in a top view that is long widthwise and short depthwise, and is an irregular shape so as to avoid the first drain valve 8 and ball tap 16.

[0030] Specifically, in this embodiment, a ball tap 16 is disposed at the front left end (lower left corner in FIG. 2) of the outer tank 12, and a first drain valve 8 is disposed at the front right end (lower right corner in FIG. 2) of the outer tank 12. The inner tank 14 has cutouts 14c and 14d provided at the front of both widthwise ends in top view so as to avoid the ball tap 16 and the first drain valve 8.

[0031] That is, the upper part of the inner tank 14 has almost the same external shape as the outer tank 12 when viewed from above. A U-shaped notch 14c is provided in the inner tank 14 where the first drain valve 8 is located, and a notch 14d is provided in the part where the ball tap 16 is located, so as not to interfere with the inner tank 14.

[0032] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the upper end of the inner tank 14 is configured to be at the same height all around. Therefore, when flush water supplied into the inner tank 14 overflows and flows into the outer tank 12, the flush water flows over the entire upper edge of the inner tank 14 and into the outer tank. This allows the length of the edge over which the flush water in the inner tank 14 overflows to be sufficiently long. Preferably, the inner tank 14 is configured so that the flush water in the inner tank 14 overflows from two or more sides of the inner tank 14 and flows into the outer tank 12.

[0033] 2, in this embodiment, the outer peripheral wall of the inner tank 14 is configured to have substantially the same shape as the inner peripheral wall of the outer tank 12, and the gap between the outer peripheral wall of the inner tank 14 and the inner peripheral wall of the outer tank 12 is configured to be small. As a result, in this embodiment, the outer peripheral length of the upper end of the inner tank 14 is longer than the outer peripheral length of the upper end of the outer tank 12 (the outer peripheral length is increased by providing notches 14c and 14d in the inner tank 14). This makes it possible to extremely increase the length of the edge over which the flush water overflows when the flush water supplied into the inner tank 14 overflows and flows into the outer tank. Preferably, the outer peripheral length of the upper end of the inner tank 14 is configured to be at least half the outer peripheral length of the upper end of the outer tank 12.

[0034] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 3, steps are formed on both sides of the inner tank 14 in the width direction, and the width of the lower part is configured to be narrow. That is, the inner tank 14 is formed in a roughly T-shape when viewed from the front, and at least the lower part of the inner tank 14 is submerged in the flush water stored in the outer tank 12. In other words, the inner tank 14 is configured so that the cross-sectional area changes in the height direction, and the horizontal cross-sectional area at the upper part of the inner tank 14 is configured to be larger than the horizontal cross-sectional area at the lower part. And by configuring the upper part of the inner tank 14 to be larger, a large amount of flush water with high potential energy is stored inside the inner tank 14. This makes it possible to increase the hydraulic head pressure of the flush water discharged from the inner tank 14, and to increase the instantaneous flow rate of the flush water discharged.

[0035] In this way, by forming the inner tank 14 in an irregular shape from resin, sufficient volume is ensured for the inner tank 14 while keeping the depth dimension of the flush water tank device 4 small. Also, since the resin inner tank 14 can be made with thinner walls than if it were made from ceramic, the volume within the outer tank 12 can be used effectively.

[0036] Next, the first drain valve 8, which is the first discharge / stop switching mechanism, is a valve body arranged to open and close the first drain outlet 12a provided in the outer tank 12, and the first drain outlet 12a is opened when the first drain valve 8 is pulled upward. This causes the flush water in the outer tank 12 to be discharged into the rim water conduit 2e (Figure 1) of the flush toilet main body 2 and then discharged from the rim spout 2c. Therefore, the first drain valve 8, which is the first discharge / stop switching mechanism, switches between supplying and stopping the flush water stored in the outer tank 12 to the flush toilet main body 2.

[0037] In this embodiment, the user rotates the lever handle 4a provided on the flush water tank device 4, which pulls the ball chain 8a (Fig. 3) connected to the first drain valve 8, thereby lifting up the first drain valve 8. As a variation, the present invention can also be configured so that the first drain valve 8 is lifted and 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).

[0038] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a first drain valve 8 is provided as the first discharge / stop switching mechanism, but a configuration other than the first drain valve 8 can be used as the first discharge / stop switching mechanism. For example, a jet pump (not shown) that flows flush water stored in the outer tank 12 into the flush toilet body can be used as the first discharge / stop switching mechanism. In this case, a jet pump nozzle (not shown) is placed inside the outer tank 12, and a portion of the flush water supplied via a water supply valve such as a ball tap 16 is sprayed from this nozzle. By spraying flush water from the nozzle inside the outer tank 12, the flush water stored in the outer tank 12 is drawn in, and the flush water in the outer tank 12 can be caused to flow into the flush toilet body by the jet pump action. In addition to such a jet pump (not shown), any configuration that switches between supplying and stopping flush water to the flush toilet body 2 can be used as the first discharge / stop switching mechanism.

[0039] Next, the second drain valve 10, which is the second discharge / stop switching mechanism, is a valve body arranged to open and close the discharge port 14a provided in the inner tank 14, and by pulling the second drain valve 10 upward, the second drain valve 10 lifts off the seat surface of the discharge port 14a, opening the discharge port 14a. As a result, the flush water in the inner tank 14 is discharged from the discharge port 14a, passes through the second drain port 12b, flows into the jet water conduit 2f (Figure 1) in the flush toilet main body 2, and is discharged from the jet spout 2d. Therefore, the second drain valve 10, which is the second discharge / stop switching mechanism, switches between supplying and stopping the flush water stored in the inner tank 14 to the flush toilet main body 2.

[0040] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the second drain valve 10 is configured to be pulled up from the discharge port 14a by the water hydraulic drive mechanism 18. That is, the second drain valve 10 is a valve body equipped with a valve stem 10a that extends upward, and the valve stem 10a is pulled up by the water hydraulic drive mechanism 18. Then, when the second drain valve 10 is pulled up to a predetermined height, it is disconnected from the water hydraulic drive mechanism 18 and gently descends to close the discharge port 14a. The configuration of the water hydraulic drive mechanism 18 will be described later, but the present invention can also be applied to flush water tank apparatus that are not equipped with a water hydraulic drive mechanism 18.

[0041] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a second drain valve 10 is provided as the second discharge / stop switching mechanism, but a configuration other than the second drain valve 10 can be used as the second discharge / stop switching mechanism. For example, a jet pump (not shown) that flows flush water stored in the inner tank 14 into the flush toilet body can be used as the second discharge / stop switching mechanism. In this case, a jet pump nozzle (not shown) is placed inside the inner tank 14, and a portion of the flush water supplied via a water supply valve such as a ball tap 16 is sprayed from this nozzle. By spraying flush water from the nozzle inside the inner tank 14, the flush water stored in the inner tank 14 is drawn in, and the flush water in the inner tank 14 can be caused to flow into the flush toilet body by the jet pump action. In addition to such a jet pump (not shown), any configuration that switches between on and off the supply of flush water to the flush toilet body 2 can be used as the second discharge / stop switching mechanism.

[0042] Furthermore, the ball tap 16, which is a water supply valve, is configured so that cleaning water supplied from the water supply source 6 flows in through the inlet pipe 16a, and switches on and off the supply of cleaning water to be stored in the outer tank 12 and the inner tank 14.

[0043] Next, the configuration of the ball tap 16 will be described with reference to FIG. 4, the ball tap 16 has a main body 20 to which the inlet pipe 16a and the outlet pipe 16b are connected, a main valve element 20a arranged within this main body 20, a valve seat 20b on which this main valve element 20a sits, an arm 24 that is rotated by a float 22, and a pilot valve 26 that is moved by the rotation of this arm 24. In other words, the ball tap 16 is equipped with a float 22 that operates in conjunction with the water level within the flush water tank device 4, and is configured to supply flush water to the water pressure drive mechanism 18 when the float 22 drops to a predetermined position.

[0044] The main body 20 is a component having a connection for the inlet pipe 16a at its bottom and a connection for the outlet pipe 16b on one side. A valve seat 20b is formed inside the main body 20, and this valve seat 20b is connected to the outlet pipe 16b connected to the connection. A main valve element 20a is disposed inside the main body 20 to open and close the valve seat 20b. When the valve is open, tap water flowing in from the inlet pipe 16a passes through the valve seat 20b and flows out into the outlet pipe 16b. The outlet pipe 16b is connected to a water hydraulic drive mechanism 18.

[0045] The main valve element 20a is a generally disc-shaped diaphragm-type valve element that is attached inside the main body 20 so that it can seat on and lift off from the valve seat 20b. A bleed hole 20c is provided around the periphery of the main valve element 20a. A pressure chamber 20d is formed inside the main body 20 on the opposite side of the main valve element 20a from the valve seat 20b (the left side in FIG. 4). That is, the pressure chamber 20d is defined by the inner wall surface of the main body 20 and the main valve element 20a. When the pressure inside this pressure chamber 20d increases, this pressure presses the main valve element 20a against the valve seat 20b, causing it to seat on the valve seat 20b.

[0046] Furthermore, a pressure passage 20e extends upward to communicate with the pressure chamber 20d provided within the main body 20, and a pilot valve port 26a is provided at the upper end of this pressure passage 20e. This pilot valve port 26a opens upward and is configured to be opened and closed by the pilot valve 26.

[0047] Meanwhile, the float 22 is supported by an arm portion 24, which is rotatably supported by a support shaft 24a. Furthermore, a pilot valve 26 is connected to the arm portion 24, and the pilot valve 26 moves up and down as the arm portion 24 rotates. In this embodiment, the float 22 is disposed in the outer tank 12 and moves up and down depending on the water level in the outer tank 12. As a result, when the water level in the outer tank 12 rises above a predetermined water level, the float 22 is pushed upward, which in turn moves the pilot valve 26 downward, seating on and closing the pilot valve port 26a. On the other hand, when flush water is drained from the outer tank 12 and the water level drops, the float 22 moves downward, which moves the pilot valve 26 upward, opening the pilot valve port 26a. Therefore, during standby for toilet flushing when the water level in the outer tank 12 is higher than the predetermined water level, the pilot valve port 26a of the main body 20 is in a closed state.

[0048] Furthermore, tap water that flows into the main body 20 from the inlet pipe 16a flows into the annular space around the valve seat 20b, and from there flows into the pressure chamber 20d through the bleed hole 20c in the main valve element 20a. When the pilot valve port 26a is closed by the pilot valve 26, there is no path for the tap water that has flowed into the pressure chamber 20d from the bleed hole 20c to flow out, and the pressure in the pressure chamber 20d rises. When the pressure in the pressure chamber 20d rises in this way, this pressure presses the main valve element 20a toward the valve seat 20b (to the right in FIG. 4), and the valve seat 20b is closed by the main valve element 20a.

[0049] On the other hand, when the first drain valve 8 is opened by the flushing operation and the water level in the outer tank 12 falls below a predetermined level, the float 22 moves down, the pilot valve 26 moves upward, and the pilot valve port 26a opens. When the pilot valve port 26a opens, water in the pressure chamber 20d flows out through the pilot valve port 26a, and the pressure in the pressure chamber 20d drops. This causes the main valve element 20a to move away from the valve seat 20b (to the left in FIG. 4), opening the valve seat 20b. In this way, with the pilot valve port 26a open, the pressure in the pressure chamber 20d does not increase, and the valve seat 20b remains open.

[0050] Next, the configuration of the water hydraulic drive mechanism 18 will be described with reference to FIG. Water hydraulic drive mechanism 18 is configured to drive second drain valve 10 using the water supply pressure of flush water supplied to flush water tank device 4 from the water main. Specifically, water hydraulic drive mechanism 18 has a cylinder 18a into which water supplied from ball tap 16 flows, a piston 18b slidably disposed within cylinder 18a, and a rod 28 that protrudes from the lower end of cylinder 18a and drives second drain valve 10. Furthermore, spring 18c is disposed inside cylinder 18a and urges piston 18b downward, and a packing is attached to piston 18b to ensure watertightness between the inner wall surface of cylinder 18a and piston 18b. Furthermore, a clutch mechanism 30 is provided at the lower end of rod 28, and clutch mechanism 30 connects and disconnects rod 28 and valve stem 10a of second drain valve 10.

[0051] Cylinder 18a is a cylindrical member that is disposed with its axis oriented vertically and that slidably receives piston 18b inside. An outlet pipe 16b extending from ball tap 16 is connected to the lower end of cylinder 18a, allowing flush water flowing out from ball tap 16 to flow into cylinder 18a. As a result, piston 18b inside cylinder 18a is pushed up against the biasing force of spring 18c by the water that has flowed into cylinder 18a.

[0052] Meanwhile, an outflow hole is provided at the upper end of cylinder 18a, and water supply pipe 32 is connected to this outflow hole. Therefore, when water flows into cylinder 18a from outflow pipe 16b connected to the bottom of cylinder 18a, piston 18b is pushed upward from the bottom of cylinder 18a. Then, when piston 18b is pushed up to a position above the outflow hole, the water that has flowed into cylinder 18a flows out from the outflow hole into water supply pipe 32.

[0053] The water supply pipe 32 is a pipe that extends downward from an outlet hole provided at the upper end of the cylinder 18a. Flush water that flows out of the cylinder 18a flows into the inner tank 14 from a water supply port 32a at the lower end of the water supply pipe 32. The water supply port 32a at the lower end of this water supply pipe 32 is located below the surface of the flush water in the inner tank 14 when in standby mode. Therefore, the ball tap 16 is configured to allow flush water to flow into the inner tank 14 from the water supply port 32a, which is provided below the water surface of the inner tank 14. By supplying flush water into the inner tank 14 from below the surface of the stored flush water in this way, rippling on the surface of the flush water that flows into the inner tank 14 can be suppressed.

[0054] Rod 28 is a rod-shaped member connected to the underside of piston 18b, and extends through a through-hole formed in the bottom surface of cylinder 18a so as to protrude downward from within cylinder 18a. Furthermore, valve stem 10a of second drain valve 10 is connected to the lower end of rod 28 via clutch mechanism 30, and rod 28 connects piston 18b and second drain valve 10. Therefore, when water flows into cylinder 18a and pushes up piston 18b, rod 28 connected to piston 18b lifts second drain valve 10 upward, and second drain valve 10 opens.

[0055] Furthermore, a gap is provided between the rod 28 protruding from below the cylinder 18a and the inner wall of the through-hole of the cylinder 18a, and some of the water that flows into the cylinder 18a flows out through this gap. The water that flows out through the gap flows into the inner tank 14. Note that because this gap is relatively narrow and has high flow resistance, even when water flows out through the gap, the water flowing into the cylinder 18a from the outflow pipe 16b increases the pressure inside the cylinder 18a, and the piston 18b is pushed up against the biasing force of the spring 18c.

[0056] Furthermore, the clutch mechanism 30 detachably connects the rod 28 and the second drain valve 10. When the second drain valve 10 is lifted a predetermined distance together with the rod 28, the clutch mechanism 30 is configured to disconnect the valve stem 10a of the second drain valve 10 from the rod 28. With the clutch mechanism 30 in a disconnected state, the second drain valve 10 is no longer linked to the movement of the piston 18b and the rod 28, and the second drain valve 10 descends as the water level in the inner tank 14 drops, closing the discharge port 14a of the inner tank 14.

[0057] Next, with new reference to FIG. 6, the operation of the flush toilet apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be explained. FIG. 6 is a time chart showing the operation of a flush toilet device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing, from the top, the jet water spouting state, the rim water spouting state, and the ball tap state.

[0058] First, in the standby state for toilet flushing, the first drain outlet 12a of the outer tank 12 and the discharge outlet 14a of the inner tank 14 are closed by the first drain valve 8 and the second drain valve 10, respectively. Also, in the standby state, flush water is stored in the outer tank 12 and the inner tank 14 up to a predetermined initial water level. The initial water level in the outer tank 12 is higher than the predetermined water level, which causes the pilot valve port 26a of the main body 20 (FIG. 4) of the ball tap 16 to be in a closed state, and the valve seat 20b is closed by the main valve body 20a. Also, in this embodiment, the initial water level in the inner tank 14 is higher than the initial water level in the outer tank 12, and flush water is stored in the inner tank 14 up to almost the upper end.

[0059] Next, at time t1 in Figure 6, when the user rotates the lever handle 4a (Figure 3) of the flush water tank device 4 to flush the toilet, the ball chain 8a connected to it pulls up the first drain valve 8. This separates the first drain valve 8 from the first drain outlet 12a, opening the first drain outlet 12a. When the first drain outlet 12a is opened, flush water that had been stored in the outer tank 12 (outside the inner tank 14) flows from the first drain outlet 12a into the rim water conduit 2e (Figure 2) and is discharged from the rim water outlet 2c. The rim water discharge from the rim water outlet 2c creates a swirling flow on the waste receiving surface of the bowl portion 2a, cleaning the waste receiving surface.

[0060] As flush water is discharged from the first drain port 12a, the water level in the outer tank 12 drops. This causes the float 22 of the ball tap 16 to drop, opening the pilot valve 26 (Figure 4). This causes the pressure in the pressure chamber 20d to drop, opening the main valve body 20a, and flush water begins to be supplied to the water pressure drive mechanism 18 through the outflow pipe 16b.

[0061] When flush water is supplied to the water pressure drive mechanism 18, the flush water that flows into the cylinder 18a (Fig. 5) pushes up the piston 18b against the biasing force of the spring 18c. This causes the rod 28 connected to the piston 18b to pull up the valve stem 10a of the second drain valve 10, opening the outlet 14a of the inner tank 14. In other words, the second drain valve 10 is driven and opened by the water supply pressure of the tap water supplied via the ball tap 16.

[0062] As a result, at time t2 in Figure 6, the discharge port 14a opens, and the flush water stored in the inner tank 14 flows through the discharge port 14a and second drain port 12b into the jet water conduit 2f (Figure 2), and is discharged from the jet water outlet 2d. The jet water discharged from the jet water outlet 2d fills the drain trap pipe 2b, inducing a siphon action. The siphon action causes the accumulated water and waste in the bowl portion 2a to be sucked into the drain trap pipe 2b, and is discharged into the sewer pipe (not shown).

[0063] Here, when the discharge port 14a is closed, the inside of the jet water conduit 2f is filled with flush water up to the level of the water surface in the bowl section 2a, and no flush water exists in the space above this water surface. Therefore, before the second drain valve 10 is opened, there is no flush water at the upstream end of the jet water conduit 2f.

[0064] When the second drain valve 10 is opened, the space in the jet water conduit 2f where there is no flush water is filled with water in a short time, allowing flush water to be discharged from the jet water spouting port 2d early. In particular, in this embodiment, the cross-sectional area of ​​the upper part of the inner tank 14 is configured to be larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the lower part, so the inner tank 14 has a large volume at a high position. For this reason, a large amount of flush water with a high head pressure can be made to flow into the jet water conduit 2f, and the instantaneous flow rate of flush water discharged from the jet water spouting port 2d can be increased.

[0065] Meanwhile, when the second drain valve 10 is raised to a predetermined height together with the piston 18b of the water hydraulic drive mechanism 18, the valve stem 10a of the second drain valve 10 is separated from the rod 28 by the clutch mechanism 30 (Fig. 5). As a result, the second drain valve 10 descends toward the discharge port 14a as the water level in the inner tank 14 drops. Then, at time t3 in Fig. 6, the second drain valve 10 seats on the discharge port 14a, closing the discharge port 14a. This stops the jet spouting of water from the jet water spouting port 2d.

[0066] When the main valve body 20a of the ball tap 16 is open, flush water supplied from the water supply source 6 (tap water) is supplied to the water pressure drive mechanism 18 via the ball tap 16 and flows into the inner tank 14 through a water supply pipe 32 (Figure 5) connected to the cylinder 18a. Here, when the second drain valve 10 is open, the flow rate of flush water flowing out of the discharge port 14a of the inner tank 14 is greater than the flow rate of flush water flowing into the inner tank 14 through the water supply port 32a of the water supply pipe 32, so the water level in the inner tank 14 drops. Then, after the jet water spouting is stopped at time t3 in Figure 6 (after the second drain valve 10 is closed), the water level in the inner tank 14 rises due to the flush water flowing in from the water supply pipe 32.

[0067] Meanwhile, because the first drain valve 8 is still open, flush water in the outer tank 12 flows out from the first drain outlet 12a, and the water level in the outer tank 12 continues to drop. Then, at time t4 in Figure 6, when the water level in the outer tank 12 drops to a predetermined dead water level, the first drain valve 8 seats on the first drain outlet 12a and the first drain valve 8 closes. This stops rim spouting from the rim spout outlet 2c.

[0068] Furthermore, even after the first drain valve 8 is closed, the main valve body 20a of the ball tap 16 remains open, so flush water supplied from the water supply source 6 (tap water) flows into the inner tank 14 from the water supply port 32a of the water supply pipe 32 via the ball tap 16 and the water pressure drive mechanism 18. At this time, because the water supply port 32a of the water supply pipe 32 opens at the bottom of the inner tank 14, the water supply port 32a is positioned below the surface of the flush water stored in the inner tank 14, and the flush water flows into the inner tank 14 from underwater. As a result, splashing of the flush water and rippling of the water surface in the inner tank 14 when the flush water flows into the inner tank 14 from the water supply port 32a are suppressed.

[0069] The water level in the inner tank 14 rises as flush water flows in, and when the inner tank 14 becomes full at time t5 in Figure 6, flush water begins to overflow from the inner tank 14. In this embodiment, the upper end of the inner tank 14 is formed at the same height all around, so flush water overflows from the entire circumference of the inner tank 14 and flows into the outer tank 12. Here, in this embodiment, the edge of the inner tank 14 over which the flush water overflows is configured to be extremely long, so the level of flush water that flows over the edge of the inner tank 14 can be kept low. In other words, flush water that overflows from the inner tank 14 forms a thin water film on the edge of the inner tank 14 while overflowing the edge of the inner tank 14 and flows into the outer tank 12. In other words, because the edge of the inner tank 14 is formed long, a predetermined flow rate of flush water that flows in from the water supply port 32a can be drained by simply forming a thin water film on the edge.

[0070] Then, as flush water flows into the outer tank 12, the water level in the outer tank 12 begins to rise. Next, when the water level in the outer tank 12 rises to a predetermined level, the float 22 of the ball tap 16 rises and the pilot valve 26 (Fig. 4) is closed. When the pilot valve 26 is closed in this way, flush water that has flowed into the pressure chamber 20d from the bleed hole 20c provided in the main valve element 20a of the ball tap 16 cannot flow out, and the pressure in the pressure chamber 20d rises. Then, at time t6 in Fig. 6, the pressure in the pressure chamber 20d presses the main valve element 20a, causing it to seat on the valve seat 20b, and the main valve element 20a is closed. This stops the supply of water from the water supply source 6 to the water pressure drive mechanism 18 via the ball tap 16, and stops the supply of flush water into the inner tank 14.

[0071] When the water supply to the water hydraulic drive mechanism 18 is stopped, the piston 18b (Figure 5) inside the cylinder 18a, which had been pushed up by the water supply, is pushed down by the biasing force of the spring 18c. As a result, the rod 28 attached to the piston 18b also drops. When the rod 28 drops to a predetermined position, the clutch mechanism 30 reconnects the rod 28 to the valve stem 10a of the second drain valve 10. This completes one toilet flush, and the flush toilet device 1 returns to its standby state for toilet flushing.

[0072] According to the flush water tank apparatus 4 of the embodiment of the present invention, the ball tap 16 is configured to supply flush water into the inner tank 14, and the flush water supplied into the inner tank 14 overflows from the entire circumference of the inner tank 14 and flows into the outer tank 12, so the edge over which the flush water overflows can be lengthened and the level of flush water that flows over the edge of the inner tank 14 can be kept low. As a result, it is possible to set the space that should be provided above the inner tank 14 low, and the flush water tank apparatus 4 can be given a low silhouette.

[0073] Furthermore, according to the flush water tank device 4 of this embodiment, the outer circumferential length of the upper end of the inner tank 14 is configured to be at least half the outer circumferential length of the upper end of the outer tank 12, so the edge of the inner tank 14 over which the flush water overflows can be set sufficiently long, and the level of the flush water that flows over the edge of the inner tank 14 can be kept low.

[0074] Furthermore, with the flush water tank device 4 of this embodiment, the cross-sectional area of ​​the upper part of the inner tank 14 is configured to be larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the lower part, making it possible to configure a long edge of the inner tank 14 onto which the flush water overflows. As a result, the level of flush water that flows over the edge of the inner tank 14 can be kept low. Also, because the cross-sectional area of ​​the upper part of the inner tank 14 is configured to be larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the lower part, a large amount of flush water with a high head pressure will be stored inside the inner tank 14. For this reason, the instantaneous flow rate of flush water discharged from the inner tank 14 can be increased, allowing the flush toilet body 2 to be flushed effectively.

[0075] Furthermore, according to the flush water tank apparatus 4 of this embodiment, the ball tap 16 is configured to allow flush water to flow into the inner tank 14 from the water supply port 32a, which is provided below the water surface in the inner tank 14, so it is possible to prevent rippling of the flush water that flows into the inner tank 14 from the water supply port 32a. As a result, even if the space above the inner tank 14 is set low, it is possible to reduce the risk of equipment placed above the inner tank 14 becoming wet, and the flush water tank apparatus 4 can be given a low silhouette.

[0076] Furthermore, according to the flush water tank device 4 of this embodiment, the outer periphery length of the upper end of the inner tank 14 is longer than the outer periphery length of the upper end of the outer tank 12, so the edge of the inner tank 14 over which the flush water overflows can be set extremely long, and the level of the flush water that flows over the edge of the inner tank 14 can be kept sufficiently low.

[0077] The above has described a flush water tank apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and a flush toilet apparatus equipped with it, but various modifications can be made to the above-described embodiment. In particular, in the above-described embodiment, flush water stored in the inner tank was discharged from the jet spout, and flush water stored in the outer tank was discharged from the rim spout. However, as a modified example, the present invention can also be configured so that flush water from the inner tank is discharged from the rim spout, and flush water from the outer tank is discharged from the jet spout. Alternatively, the present invention can be applied to a flush water tank apparatus that supplies flush water to a flush toilet main body that has a spout other than a rim spout or jet spout.

[0078] In addition, in the above-described embodiment, a ball tap was used as the water supply valve that switches the supply and stop of flush water to be stored in the outer tank and the inner tank, but a water supply valve other than a ball tap can also be used. Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the second drain valve was driven by a water pressure drive mechanism, but a water pressure drive mechanism does not have to be provided. [Explanation of symbols]

[0079] 1 Flush toilet device 2 Flush toilet body 2a Bowl section 2b Drain trap pipe 2c Rim Spout 2d jet spout 2e Rim Waterway 2F Jet Waterway 4. Cleaning water tank device 4a Lever handle 6 Water source 8. First drain valve (first discharge stop switching mechanism) 8a Ball Chain 10 Second drain valve (second discharge stop switching mechanism) 10a valve stem 12 outer tank 12a 1st drain 12b 2nd drain 14 Inner tank 14a Outlet 14b Drain hole forming member 14c notch 14d notch 16 Ball tap (water supply valve) 16a Inflow pipe 16b Outflow pipe 18 Water Hydraulic Drive Mechanism 18a cylinder 18b piston 18c spring 20 Main body 20a Main valve body 20b Valve seat 20c bleed hole 20d pressure chamber 20e Pressure passage 22 Float 24 Arm section 24a Support shaft 26 Pilot valve 26a Pilot valve port 28 Rod 30 Clutch mechanism 32 Water supply pipe 32a Water inlet

Claims

1. A flush water tank device that is attached to a flush toilet body to supply flush water, an outer tank that stores flush water to be supplied to the flush toilet main body; an inner tank made of resin that is placed inside the outer tank and stores flush water to be supplied to the flush toilet body; a water supply valve for switching on and off the supply of flush water to be stored in the outer tank and the inner tank; a first water discharge / stop switching mechanism that is disposed inside the outer tank but outside the inner tank and switches between supplying and stopping flush water stored in the outer tank to the flush toilet main body; a second water discharge / stop switching mechanism that is disposed within the inner tank and switches between supplying and stopping flush water stored in the inner tank to the flush toilet main body; and A flush water tank device characterized in that the water supply valve is configured to supply flush water into the inner tank, and the flush water supplied into the inner tank overflows from two or more sides of the inner tank and flows into the outer tank.

2. 2. A flush water tank apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the outer periphery of the upper end of the inner tank is at least half the outer periphery of the upper end of the outer tank.

3. 2. A flush water tank apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inner tank is configured so that its cross-sectional area varies in the height direction, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the upper part of the inner tank is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the lower part.

4. 2. A flush water tank device according to claim 1, wherein the water supply valve is configured to allow flush water to flow into the inner tank from a water supply port provided below the water surface of the inner tank.

5. 2. A flush water tank apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the outer periphery of the upper end of the inner tank is longer than the outer periphery of the upper end of the outer tank.

6. A flush toilet device that is flushed with flush water stored in a flush water tank, a flush toilet body provided with a bowl portion, a rim spout, and a jet spout; A flush water tank device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, which supplies flush water to the rim spout and the jet spout of the flush toilet body; A flush toilet apparatus comprising:

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