Flush water tank device and water closet device provided with the same

Abstract

To provide a flush water tank device capable of sufficiently utilizing a volume in a flush water tank and a water head pressure of flush water in the flush water tank for toilet cleaning.SOLUTION: A flush water tank device (4) of the present invention comprises a flush water tank main body (12) provided with a first tank part (13) and a second tank part (15) for storing flush water, a rim water discharge switching mechanism (8) for switching discharge and stop of the flush water in the first tank part, and a jet water discharge drain valve (10) for switching discharge and stop of the flush water in the second tank part. The first tank part and the second tank part are configured to have different cross-sectional areas according to height, and a ratio of cross-sectional areas of the first tank part and the second tank part at a first height is different from a ratio of the cross-sectional areas at a second height lower than the first height.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

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] Chinese Patent Application Publication No. CN103967088 (Patent Document 1) describes a toilet water tank apparatus. In this toilet water tank apparatus, a partition formed by a vertical wall surface is provided inside the water tank, and this partition defines a first water tank and a second water tank. A first drain valve and a second drain valve are provided inside the first water tank and the second water tank, respectively, so that flush water in the first water tank and flush water in the second water tank are supplied to the flush toilet, respectively. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Chinese Patent Application Publication No. CN103967088 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the toilet water tank apparatus described in Patent Document 1, when the first drain valve is opened, flush water is discharged due to the head pressure of the flush water in the first water tank, and when the second drain valve is opened, flush water is discharged due to the head pressure of the flush water in the second water tank. However, in the toilet water tank apparatus described in Patent Document 1, because the water tank is simply divided into a first water tank and a second water tank, there is a problem in that the volume of the water tank and the head pressure of the flush water in the water tank cannot be fully utilized for toilet flushing.

[0005] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a flush water tank device that can fully utilize the volume within the flush water tank and the head pressure of the flush water within the flush water tank for toilet flushing, and a flush toilet device 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: a flush water tank main body with a first tank portion and a second tank portion for storing flush water to be supplied to the flush toilet main body; a rim water spouting switching mechanism that switches between discharging and stopping the flush water in the first tank portion so that the flush water in the first tank portion is discharged from the rim water spout of the flush toilet main body; and a jet water spouting drain valve that switches between discharging and stopping the flush water in the second tank portion so that the flush water in the second tank portion is discharged from the jet water spout of the flush toilet main body, wherein the first tank portion and second tank portion are configured to have different cross-sectional areas depending on the height, and the ratio of the cross-sectional areas of the first tank portion to the second tank portion at the first height is different from the ratio of the cross-sectional areas at a second height that is lower than the first height.

[0007] Thus, in the present invention, the first tank portion and the second tank portion are configured so that their cross-sectional areas vary depending on the height, and the ratio of the cross-sectional areas of the first tank portion to the second tank portion at the first height is different from the ratio of the cross-sectional areas at a second height that is lower than the first height. According to the present invention configured in this way, for example, if the cross-sectional area of ​​the second tank portion is configured so that it is large at the first height and small at the second height, a large amount of flush water can be discharged from the jet spout with high head pressure at the beginning of a flush. In other words, according to the present invention, it is possible to distribute the flush water in the flush water tank body to the rim spout and jet spout of the flush toilet body according to the required flush water volume and water force. This allows the volume within the flush water tank body and the head pressure of the flush water in the flush water tank body to be fully utilized for toilet flushing.

[0008] In the present invention, the second tank portion is preferably configured to have a cross-sectional area at the first height that is equal to or greater than the cross-sectional area of ​​the first tank portion.

[0009] According to the present invention configured in this manner, the second tank portion is configured to have a cross-sectional area at the first height that is equal to or greater than the cross-sectional area of ​​the first tank portion, so that at the beginning of the flush when the water level in the second tank portion is high, the instantaneous flow rate of flush water ejected from the jet spout of the flush toilet body can be increased, improving the flushing effect.

[0010] In the present invention, preferably, the second tank section has a step section provided at a height between the first height and the second height, and the second tank section is configured so that the cross-sectional area is reduced below the step section, while the first tank section is configured so that the cross-sectional area is increased below the step section.

[0011] According to the present invention configured in this way, the second tank section is configured so that its cross-sectional area decreases below the step, while the first tank section is configured so that its cross-sectional area increases below the step. As a result, the instantaneous flow rate from the jet water outlet is increased at the beginning of flushing, and at the same time, sufficient volume can be secured in the first tank section below the height of the step, and a sufficient amount of flush water can also be allocated to the rim water outlet.

[0012] In the present invention, preferably, an inner tank is disposed within the flush water tank body, the second tank portion is formed inside the inner tank, and the first tank portion is formed inside the flush water tank body and outside the inner tank.

[0013] According to the present invention configured in this manner, an inner tank is placed inside the flush water tank body, a second tank section is formed inside the inner tank, and a first tank section is formed inside the flush water tank body and outside the inner tank, so the cross-sectional area of ​​the first and second tank sections at each height can be freely set, and the flush water volume and head pressure can be freely set according to requirements.

[0014] In the present invention, the jet water spouting drain valve is preferably configured to drain the flushing water in the second tank portion so that the water level in the second tank portion drops from a predetermined initial water level to a predetermined jet dead water level, and the step portion is located at a position lower than the jet dead water level.

[0015] According to the present invention configured in this manner, the height of the step where the cross-sectional area of ​​the second tank section is reduced is configured to be lower than the jet dead water level, so that the flow rate of cleaning water ejected from the jet water outlet can be maintained sufficiently high until ejection is completed.

[0016] In the present invention, the rim water discharge switching mechanism is preferably configured to discharge the flushing water in the first tank portion so that the water level in the first tank portion drops from a predetermined initial water level to a predetermined rim dead water level, and the step portion is located at a position higher than the rim dead water level.

[0017] According to the present invention configured in this manner, the step portion where the cross-sectional area of ​​the first tank portion is enlarged is located at a position higher than the rim dead water level, so that flushing water stored below the step portion of the first tank portion can be discharged from the rim water outlet, ensuring a sufficient amount of flushing water discharged from the rim water outlet.

[0018] In the present invention, the first tank portion and the second tank portion are preferably configured so that the ratio of the cross-sectional areas is reversed between the first height and the second height.

[0019] According to the present invention configured in this manner, the first tank section and the second tank section are configured so that the ratio of cross-sectional areas is reversed between the first height and the second height, so that the instantaneous flow rate of cleaning water discharged from either the jet water outlet or the rim water outlet can be increased while at the same time ensuring a sufficient amount of cleaning water discharged from the other.

[0020] 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]

[0021] According to the flush water tank device of the present invention, and a flush toilet device equipped with it, the volume within the flush water tank and the head pressure of the flush water within the flush water tank can be fully utilized for toilet flushing. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0022] [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 horizontal cross-sectional view of a flush water tank apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention taken at height H1 in FIG. 3. [Figure 7] 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of a flush water tank apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention taken at height H2 in FIG. 3. [Figure 8] 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

[0023] 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 schematic configuration of a flush toilet apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a front cross-sectional view showing the schematic 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. Fig. 6 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the flush water tank apparatus at height H1 in Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the flush water tank apparatus at height H2 in Fig. 3.

[0024] 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.

[0025] 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).

[0026] Flush water tank device 4 is supplied with flush water from a water supply source 6 such as a water line, and the supplied flush water is stored inside flush water tank device 4. Flush water tank device 4 also has built-in rim water spouting drain valve 8, which is a rim water spouting switching mechanism, and jet water spouting drain valve 10, which are configured to open and close drain ports provided at the bottom of flush water tank device 4, respectively.

[0027] In this embodiment, by opening the rim water spouting 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 jet water spouting 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.

[0028] 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 a flush water tank main body 12, an inner tank 14 arranged inside this flush water tank main body, a rim water discharge drain valve 8 arranged in the flush water tank main body 12, a jet water discharge drain valve 10 arranged in the inner tank 14, a ball tap 16 which is a water supply valve, and a water pressure drive mechanism 18.

[0029] The flush water tank body 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 flush water tank body 12 is made of ceramic, and the inner tank 14 placed inside this flush water tank body 12 is made of resin. Also, in this embodiment, the space inside the flush water tank body 12 and outside the inner tank 14 makes up the first tank section 13, and the space inside the inner tank 14 makes up the second tank section 15. Therefore, in this embodiment, the first tank section 13 and second tank section 15 are provided inside the flush water tank body 12 for storing flush water to be supplied to the flush toilet body 2.

[0030] 3, a first drain outlet 12a and a second drain outlet 12b are provided on the bottom surface of the flush water tank main body 12, and in this embodiment, these drain outlets are configured to be circular. Here, flush water stored inside the first tank portion 13 (inside the flush water tank main body 12 and outside the inner tank 14) flows through the first drain outlet 12a into the rim water conduit 2e of the flush toilet main body 2, and is discharged from the rim water spout 2c. Additionally, flush water stored inside the second tank portion 15 (inside the inner tank 14) flows through the second drain outlet 12b into the jet water conduit 2f of the flush toilet main body 2, and is discharged from the jet water spout 2d.

[0031] The inner tank 14 is placed on the bottom surface of the flush water tank body 12, and the lower part of the inner tank 14 is submerged in the flush water stored in the flush water tank body 12. In addition, a circular discharge outlet 14a is 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 flush water tank body 12. In other words, in this embodiment, the centre 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 flush water tank body 12.

[0032] 3, in this embodiment, the discharge port 14a of the inner tank 14 is formed by a drain port forming member 14b that is formed separately from the main body of the inner tank 14. This drain 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 on its inside. A seat surface is provided at the upper end of the drain port forming member 14b, and the jet water spouting drain valve 10 seats on this seat surface to close the discharge port 14a. Therefore, in this embodiment, the seat surface on which the jet water spouting drain valve 10 seats is formed by a member separate from the inner tank 14.

[0033] 2, the flush water tank body 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 body 2 and a short depth (the direction of arrow D in FIG. 2). The inner tank 14 arranged inside the flush water tank body 12 is also configured to be long in the width direction and short in the depth direction when viewed from above, and is an irregular shape so as to avoid the rim spouting drain valve 8 and ball tap 16.

[0034] Specifically, in this embodiment, a ball tap 16 is located at the front, left end (lower left corner in Figure 2) inside the flush water tank body 12, and a rim water spouting drain valve 8 is located at the front, right end (lower right corner in Figure 2). The inner tank 14 has cutouts 14c, 14d respectively provided at the front of both ends in the width direction when viewed from above so as to avoid the ball tap 16 and rim water spouting drain valve 8. In other words, a U-shaped cutout 14c is provided in the inner tank 14 in the part of the flush water tank body 12 where the rim water spouting drain valve 8 is located, and a cutout 14d is provided in the part where the ball tap 16 is located, so as not to interfere with the inner tank 14.

[0035] On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3, step portions 14e are formed on both widthwise sides of the inner tank 14, and the width below the step portions 14e is narrower. That is, the inner tank 14 is formed in a substantially T-shape when viewed from the front, and is configured so that the horizontal cross-sectional area A2 (FIGS. 6 and 7) is constant above and below the step portions 14e. In other words, the second tank portion 15, which is the space inside the inner tank 14, and the first tank portion 13, which is the space outside the inner tank 14, are configured so that their horizontal cross-sectional areas vary depending on their heights. That is, the second tank portion 15 is configured so that the horizontal cross-sectional area A2 is reduced below the step portions 14e. On the other hand, the first tank portion 13 is configured so that the horizontal cross-sectional area A1 is expanded below the step portions 14e.

[0036] As a result, in this embodiment, the ratio (A1 / A2 in FIG. 6) of the horizontal cross-sectional areas of the first tank portion 13 and the second tank portion 15 at a first height H1 above the step portion 14e is different from the ratio (A1 / A2 in FIG. 7) of the horizontal cross-sectional areas of the first tank portion 13 and the second tank portion 15 at a second height H2 below the first height H1 and the step portion 14e. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, at the first height H1 above the step portion 14e, the horizontal cross-sectional area A2 of the second tank portion 15 is larger than the horizontal cross-sectional area A1 of the first tank portion 13. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 7, at the second height H2 below the step portion 14e, the horizontal cross-sectional area A1 of the first tank portion 13 is larger than the horizontal cross-sectional area A2 of the second tank portion 15. Therefore, in this embodiment, the ratio of the horizontal cross-sectional areas of the first tank portion 13 and the second tank portion 15 is reversed between the first height H1 and the second height H2.

[0037] Furthermore, when the flush water tank device 4 is actually in use, flush water is stored in the second tank portion 15 up to a level above the step 14e of the inner tank 14. Therefore, in this embodiment, the inner tank 14 is submerged in the flush water stored in the first tank portion 13 up to a level above the step 14e. And in this embodiment, by making the upper part of the second tank portion 15 large, a large amount of flush water with a high potential energy is stored in the second tank portion 15. This makes it possible to increase the hydraulic head pressure of the flush water discharged from the second tank portion 15, and to increase the instantaneous flow rate of flush water discharged from the jet water outlet 2d.

[0038] Also, by making the inner tank 14 out of resin in an irregular shape, sufficient volume is ensured for the inner tank 14 while keeping the depth dimension of the flush water tank device 4 small. Also, because the resin inner tank 14 can be made with thinner walls than if it were made of ceramic, the volume inside the flush water tank main body 12 can be used effectively.

[0039] Next, the rim spouting drain valve 8, which is a rim water spouting switching mechanism, is a valve body arranged to open and close the first drain outlet 12a provided in the flush water tank main body 12, and the first drain outlet 12a is opened when the rim water spouting drain valve 8 is pulled upward. This causes the flush water in the first tank section 13 to be drained into the rim water conduit 2e (Figure 1) in the flush toilet main body 2 and discharged from the rim spout 2c. Therefore, the rim water spouting drain valve 8, which is a rim water spouting switching mechanism, switches between discharging and stopping the flush water stored in the first tank section 13 to the flush toilet main body 2.

[0040] In this embodiment, when the user rotates the lever handle 4a provided on the flush water tank device 4, a ball chain 8a (Figure 3) connected to the rim water spouting drain valve 8 is pulled, and the rim water spouting drain valve 8 is raised. As a variation, the present invention can also be configured so that the rim water spouting drain valve 8 is raised 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).

[0041] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a rim water spouting drain valve 8 is provided as the rim water spouting switching mechanism, but a configuration other than the rim water spouting drain valve 8 can be used as the rim water spouting switching mechanism. For example, a jet pump (not shown) that flows flush water stored in the first tank portion 13 into the flush toilet main body can be used as the rim water spouting switching mechanism. In this case, a jet pump nozzle (not shown) is placed inside the first tank portion 13, 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 first tank portion 13, the flush water stored in the first tank portion 13 is drawn in, and the flush water in the first tank portion 13 can be caused to flow into the flush toilet main body by the jet pump action. In addition to such a jet pump (not shown), any configuration that switches between discharging flush water into the flush toilet main body 2 and stopping it can be used as the rim water spouting switching mechanism.

[0042] Next, the jet water spouting drain valve 10 is a valve body arranged to open and close the discharge port 14a provided in the inner tank 14, and by pulling the jet water spouting drain valve 10 upward, the jet water spouting drain valve 10 lifts off the seat surface of the discharge port 14a, opening the discharge port 14a. As a result, flush water in the second tank section 15 is drained from the discharge port 14a, passes through the second drain port 12b, flows into the jet water conduit 2f (Figure 1) of the flush toilet main body 2, and is discharged from the jet water spout 2d. Therefore, the jet water spouting drain valve 10 switches between discharging and stopping the flush water stored in the second tank section 15 to the flush toilet main body 2.

[0043] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the jet water spouting drain valve 10 is configured to be pulled up from the discharge port 14a by the water hydraulic drive mechanism 18. In other words, the jet water spouting 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 jet water spouting 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.

[0044] 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 first tank section 13 and the second tank section 15.

[0045] 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.

[0046] 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.

[0047] 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.

[0048] 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.

[0049] 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 is configured to move up and down as the arm portion 24 rotates. In this embodiment, the float 22 is disposed in the second tank portion 15 and moves up and down depending on the water level in the second tank portion 15. As a result, when the water level in the second tank portion 15 rises above a predetermined water level, the float 22 is pushed upward, which in turn moves the pilot valve 26 downward, seating it on the pilot valve port 26a and closing it. On the other hand, when flush water is drained from the second tank portion 15 and the water level drops, the float 22 moves downward, and the pilot valve 26 moves upward, opening the pilot valve port 26a. For this reason, during standby for toilet flushing when the water level in the flush water tank body 12 is higher than a predetermined water level, the pilot valve port 26a of the main body 20 is in a closed state.

[0050] 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.

[0051] On the other hand, when the rim spout drain valve 8 is opened by the flushing operation and the water level in the first tank portion 13 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 from 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.

[0052] Next, the configuration of the water hydraulic drive mechanism 18 will be described with reference to FIG. Water pressure drive mechanism 18 is configured to drive jet water spouting drain valve 10 using the water supply pressure of flush water supplied to flush water tank device 4 from the water main. Specifically, water pressure drive mechanism 18 has a cylinder 18a into which water supplied from ball tap 16 flows, a piston 18b slidably arranged within this cylinder 18a, and a rod 28 that protrudes from the lower end of cylinder 18a and drives jet water spouting drain valve 10. Furthermore, spring 18c is arranged 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 this clutch mechanism 30 connects and disconnects rod 28 and valve stem 10a of jet water spouting drain valve 10.

[0053] 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.

[0054] 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.

[0055] Water supply pipe 32 is a pipe that extends downward from an outlet hole provided at the upper end of cylinder 18a. Flush water that flows out of cylinder 18a flows into second tank portion 15 from water supply port 32a at the lower end of water supply pipe 32. Water supply port 32a at the lower end of water supply pipe 32 is located below the surface of the flush water in second tank portion 15 when in standby mode. Therefore, ball tap 16 is configured to allow flush water to flow into second tank portion 15 from water supply port 32a, which is provided below the water surface in second tank portion 15.

[0056] The rod 28 is a rod-shaped member connected to the underside of the piston 18b, and extends through a through-hole formed in the bottom surface of the cylinder 18a so as to protrude downward from within the cylinder 18a. The valve stem 10a of the jet water spouting drain valve 10 is connected to the lower end of the rod 28 via a clutch mechanism 30, and the rod 28 connects the piston 18b and the jet water spouting drain valve 10. Therefore, when water flows into the cylinder 18a and pushes up the piston 18b, the rod 28 connected to the piston 18b lifts the jet water spouting drain valve 10 upward, and the jet water spouting drain valve 10 opens.

[0057] Furthermore, a gap is provided between rod 28 protruding from below cylinder 18a and the inner wall of the through-hole of cylinder 18a, and some of the water that flows into cylinder 18a flows out through this gap. The water that flows out through the gap flows into second tank portion 15. Note that this gap is relatively narrow and has high flow resistance, so even if water flows out through the gap, the water flowing into cylinder 18a from outflow pipe 16b increases the pressure inside cylinder 18a, and piston 18b is pushed up against the biasing force of spring 18c.

[0058] Furthermore, the clutch mechanism 30 detachably connects the rod 28 and the jet water spouting drain valve 10. When the jet water spouting 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 jet water spouting drain valve 10 from the rod 28. With the clutch mechanism 30 in a disconnected state, the jet water spouting drain valve 10 is no longer linked to the movement of the piston 18b and rod 28, and the jet water spouting drain valve 10 descends as the water level in the second tank section 15 drops, and the outlet port 14a of the inner tank 14 is closed.

[0059] Next, with new reference to FIG. 8, the operation of the flush toilet apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be explained. FIG. 8 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.

[0060] First, in the standby state for toilet flushing, the first drain port 12a of the flush water tank main body 12 and the discharge port 14a of the inner tank 14 are closed by the rim spouting drain valve 8 and the jet spouting drain valve 10, respectively. Also, in the standby state, flush water is stored in the first tank portion 13 and the second tank portion 15 up to a predetermined initial water level. In this embodiment, the initial water level of the first tank portion 13 is set to a position higher than the step portion 14e of the inner tank 14. Thus, when the first tank portion 13 is at the initial water level, the pilot valve port 26a of the main body portion 20 (FIG. 4) of the ball tap 16 is in a closed state, and the valve seat 20b is closed by the main valve body 20a. Meanwhile, in this embodiment, the initial water level of the second tank portion 15 is at approximately the same height as the upper edge of the inner tank 14, and is higher than the initial water level of the first tank portion 13.

[0061] Next, at time t1 in Figure 8, 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 rim spouting drain valve 8. This pulls the rim spouting drain valve 8 away from the first drain outlet 12a, opening the first drain outlet 12a. When the first drain outlet 12a is opened, the flush water that had been stored in the second tank portion 15 flows from the first drain outlet 12a into the rim water conduit 2e (Figure 2) and is discharged from the rim spout outlet 2c. The rim spouting from the rim spout outlet 2c creates a swirling flow on the waste receiving surface of the bowl portion 2a, cleaning the waste receiving surface.

[0062] As flush water is discharged from the first drain port 12a, the water level in the second tank portion 15 drops. This causes the float 22 of the ball tap 16 to drop, opening the pilot valve 26 (Fig. 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.

[0063] 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 jet water spouting drain valve 10, opening the outlet 14a of the inner tank 14. In other words, the jet water spouting drain valve 10 is driven and opened by the water supply pressure of the tap water supplied via the ball tap 16.

[0064] As a result, at time t2 in Figure 8, outlet 14a is opened, and flush water stored in second tank portion 15 flows through outlet 14a and second drain outlet 12b into jet water conduit 2f (Figure 2), and is discharged from jet water outlet 2d. The jet water discharge from jet water outlet 2d fills drain trap pipe 2b, inducing siphon action. The siphon action causes the accumulated water and waste in bowl portion 2a to be sucked into drain trap pipe 2b and discharged into the sewer pipe (not shown).

[0065] 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 jet water spouting drain valve 10 is opened, there is no flush water at the upstream end of the jet water conduit 2f.

[0066] When the jet water spouting 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 on. In particular, in this embodiment, the cross-sectional area above the step 14e of the inner tank 14 (cross-sectional area A2 in Figure 6) is configured to be larger than the cross-sectional area below (cross-sectional area A2 in Figure 7), so the second tank section 15 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.

[0067] On the other hand, when the jet water spouting drain valve 10 is raised to a predetermined height together with the piston 18b of the water pressure drive mechanism 18, the valve stem 10a of the jet water spouting drain valve 10 is separated from the rod 28 by the clutch mechanism 30 (Fig. 5). As a result, the jet water spouting drain valve 10 descends toward the outlet 14a as the water level in the second tank portion 15 drops. Then, at time t3 in Fig. 8, when the water level in the second tank portion 15 drops to the predetermined jet dead water level JWL (Fig. 3), the jet water spouting drain valve 10 seats on the outlet 14a, and the outlet 14a is closed. This stops jet water spouting from the jet water spouting port 2d.

[0068] Also, in this embodiment, the jet dead water level JWL is set above the step 14e of the inner tank 14. For this reason, flush water that has been stored at a relatively high position within the second tank section 15 is used for water spouting from the jet water spouting outlet 2d. Therefore, a relatively high head pressure acts on the flush water spouted from the jet water spouting outlet 2d, allowing a large flow rate of jet water to be spouted with strong water force. Also, because the horizontal cross-sectional area A2 is large above the step 14e of the inner tank 14, a large amount of flush water can be secured for jet water spouting.

[0069] Furthermore, 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 second tank portion 15 through a water supply pipe 32 (Figure 5) connected to the cylinder 18a. Here, when the jet water spouting drain valve 10 is open, the flow rate of flush water flowing out of the outlet 14a of the inner tank 14 is greater than the flow rate of flush water flowing into the second tank portion 15 through the water supply port 32a of the water supply pipe 32, so the water level in the second tank portion 15 drops. Then, after jet water spouting is stopped at time t3 in Figure 8 (after the jet water spouting drain valve 10 is closed), the water level in the second tank portion 15 rises due to flush water flowing in from the water supply pipe 32.

[0070] Meanwhile, as the rim water spouting drain valve 8 is still open, flush water in the first tank portion 13 flows out from the first drain outlet 12a, and the water level in the first tank portion 13 continues to drop. Then, at time t4 in Figure 8, when the water level in the flush water tank body 12 drops to the predetermined rim dead water level RWL (Figure 3), the rim water spouting drain valve 8 seats on the first drain outlet 12a and the rim water spouting drain valve 8 closes. This stops rim water spouting from the rim spout outlet 2c.

[0071] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the rim dead water level RWL is set below the step 14e of the inner tank 14. For this reason, even flush water stored at a relatively low position within the first tank portion 13 is used for water discharge from the rim spout 2c. Therefore, not much hydraulic head pressure acts on the flush water discharged from the rim spout 2c. However, because the rim spout 2c, which opens above the water level in the bowl portion 2a, is open to the atmosphere, water can be easily discharged even when the hydraulic head pressure of the flush water is low, and the bowl portion 2a can be effectively cleaned. Furthermore, in this embodiment, flush water stored in the first tank portion 13, from the initial water level above the step 14e to the rim dead water level RWL below the step 14e, is used for rim spouting, so a large amount of flush water can be secured for rim spouting.

[0072] Furthermore, even after the rim water discharge drain valve 8 is closed, the main valve body 20a of the ball tap 16 remains open, so the flushing water supplied from the water supply source 6 (tap water) flows into the second tank section 15 from the water supply port 32a of the water supply pipe 32 via the ball tap 16 and the water pressure drive mechanism 18.

[0073] The water level in the second tank section 15 rises due to the inflow of flush water, and when the second tank section 15 becomes full at time t5 in Figure 8, the flush water begins to overflow from the inner tank 14 and flows into the first tank section 13.

[0074] Then, as flush water flows into the first tank portion 13, the water level in the first tank portion 13 begins to rise. Next, when the water level in the first tank portion 13 rises to a predetermined initial water 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 manner, 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. 8, the pressure in the pressure chamber 20d presses the main valve element 20a against 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 second tank portion 15.

[0075] 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 jet water spouting drain valve 10. This completes one toilet flush, and the flush toilet device 1 returns to its standby state for toilet flushing.

[0076] In the flush water tank apparatus 4 of the embodiment of the present invention, the first tank portion 13 and the second tank portion 15 are configured so that their cross-sectional areas A1, A2 vary depending on their height, and the ratio of the cross-sectional areas of the first tank portion 13 and the second tank portion 15 at the first height H1 (A1 / A2 in FIG. 6) is different from the ratio of the cross-sectional areas at a second height H2 that is lower than the first height H1 (A1 / A2 in FIG. 6). For example, if the cross-sectional area A2 of the second tank portion 15 is configured to be large at the first height H1 and small at the second height H2, as in the embodiment described above, a large amount of flush water can be discharged from the jet spout 2d with a high head pressure at the beginning of a flush. In other words, it becomes possible to distribute the flush water in the flush water tank body 12 to the rim spout 2c and jet spout 2d of the flush toilet body 2 in accordance with the required flush water volume and water force. This allows the volume within the flush water tank body 12 and the head pressure of the flush water within the flush water tank body 12 to be fully utilized for flushing the toilet.

[0077] Furthermore, according to the flush water tank device 4 of this embodiment, the second tank section 15 is configured to have a cross-sectional area at the first height H1 that is equal to or greater than the cross-sectional area A1 of the first tank section 13, so that at the beginning of the flush when the water level in the second tank section 15 is high, the instantaneous flow rate of flush water discharged from the jet water outlet 2d of the flush toilet body can be increased, improving the flushing effect.

[0078] Furthermore, according to the flush water tank device 4 of this embodiment, the second tank portion 15 is configured so that the cross-sectional area A2 decreases below the step 14e, while the first tank portion 13 is configured so that the cross-sectional area A1 increases below the step 14e. As a result, the instantaneous flow rate from the jet water outlet 2d is increased at the beginning of the flush, and at the same time, sufficient volume can be secured in the first tank portion 13 below the height of the step 14e, and a sufficient amount of flush water can also be allocated to the rim water outlet 2c.

[0079] Furthermore, according to the flush water tank device 4 of this embodiment, the inner tank 14 is placed inside the flush water tank main body 12, the second tank section 15 is formed inside the inner tank 14, and the first tank section 13 is formed inside the flush water tank main body 12 and outside the inner tank 14, so the cross-sectional areas of the first tank section 13 and second tank section 15 at each height can be freely set, and the flush water volume and head pressure can be freely set according to requirements.

[0080] Furthermore, according to the flush water tank device 4 of this embodiment, the height of the step portion 14e where the cross-sectional area A2 of the second tank portion 15 is reduced is configured to be lower than the jet dead water level JWL, so that the flow rate of flush water discharged from the jet water outlet 2d can be maintained sufficiently high until discharge is completed.

[0081] Furthermore, according to the flush water tank device 4 of this embodiment, the step 14e where the cross-sectional area A1 of the first tank section 13 is enlarged is located at a position higher than the rim dead water level RWL, so that flush water stored below the step 14e of the first tank section 13 can be discharged from the rim water outlet 2c, ensuring a sufficient amount of flush water discharged from the rim water outlet 2c.

[0082] Furthermore, according to the flush water tank device 4 of this embodiment, the first tank section 13 and the second tank section 15 are configured so that the cross-sectional area ratio (A1 / A2) is reversed at the first height H1 and the second height H2, thereby increasing the instantaneous flow rate of flush water discharged from the jet water outlet 2d while ensuring a sufficient amount of flush water discharged from the rim water outlet 2c.

[0083] The flush water tank device of an embodiment of the present invention, and a flush toilet device equipped with it, have been described above, but various modifications can be made to the above-described embodiment. In particular, in the above-described embodiment, the first tank portion and second tank portion were formed by placing an inner tank inside the flush water tank main body, but the first tank portion and second tank portion can also be formed by providing a partition wall inside the flush water tank main body.

[0084] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the horizontal cross-sectional area of ​​the first tank section and the second tank section changes abruptly due to the step provided in the inner tank, but the partition wall within the flush water tank body or the inner tank can also be configured so that the horizontal cross-sectional area of ​​the first tank section and the second tank section changes gradually depending on the height.

[0085] Also, 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 flush water tank body and inner tank, but a water supply valve other than a ball tap can also be used.Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the jet water spouting 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]

[0086] 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 Rim water discharge drain valve (rim water discharge switching mechanism) 8a Ball Chain 10 Jet water discharge valve 10a valve stem 12 Cleaning water tank body 12a 1st drain 12b 2nd drain 13 First Tank Section 14 Inner tank 14a Outlet 14b Drain hole forming member 14c notch 14d notch 14e Stepped section 15 Second Tank Section 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, a flush water tank body equipped with a first tank section and a second tank section for storing flush water to be supplied to the flush toilet body; a rim spouting switching mechanism that switches between discharging and stopping flush water within the first tank portion so that the flush water within the first tank portion is discharged from the rim spout of the flush toilet main body; a jet water spouting drain valve that switches between draining and stopping the flush water in the second tank portion so that the flush water in the second tank portion is discharged from the jet water spouting port of the flush toilet main body; and A flush water tank device characterized in that the first tank portion and the second tank portion are configured so that their cross-sectional areas differ depending on the height, and the ratio of the cross-sectional areas of the first tank portion and the second tank portion at a first height is different from the ratio of the cross-sectional areas at a second height that is lower than the first height.

2. 2. A flush water tank apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second tank portion is configured to have a cross-sectional area at the first height that is equal to or greater than the cross-sectional area of ​​the first tank portion.

3. A flush water tank device as described in claim 2, wherein the second tank section has a step section provided at a height between the first height and the second height, and the second tank section is configured so that its cross-sectional area is reduced below the step section, while the first tank section is configured so that its cross-sectional area is increased below the step section.

4. A flush water tank device as described in claim 2, wherein an inner tank is disposed within the flush water tank body, the second tank portion is formed inside the inner tank, and the first tank portion is formed inside the flush water tank body and outside the inner tank.

5. A flush water tank device as described in claim 3, wherein the jet water spouting drain valve is configured to discharge flush water from the second tank section so that the water level in the second tank section drops from a predetermined initial water level to a predetermined jet dead water level, and the step section is located at a position lower than the jet dead water level.

6. A flush water tank device as described in claim 3, wherein the rim water discharge switching mechanism is configured to discharge flush water from the first tank section so that the water level in the first tank section drops from a predetermined initial water level to a predetermined rim dead water level, and the step section is located at a position higher than the rim dead water level.

7. A flush water tank device as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the first tank section and the second tank section are configured so that the ratio of their cross-sectional areas is reversed at the first height and the second height.

8. 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 6, which supplies flush water to the rim spout and the jet spout of the flush toilet body; A flush toilet apparatus comprising:

Images