Flush water tank device and flush toilet device equipped with same

Abstract

To provide a wash water tank device capable of setting a quantity of wash water to be discharged accurately while opening a drain valve by a drain valve hydraulic driving unit; and a flush toilet bowl device having the same.SOLUTION: A wash water tank device comprises: a drain valve hydraulic driving unit 14; a clutch mechanism 30; wash water quantity selection means 6; a first float device 26 for regulating lowering of a drain valve in linkage with a water level so that a first wash water quantity can be discharged; a second float device 28 for regulating lowering of the drain valve in linkage with a water level so that a second wash water quantity can be discharged; and an adjustment mechanism 58. In the adjustment mechanism 58, the clutch mechanism 30 can be cut off at such a height of elevating the drain valve as the drain valve 12 to be lowered by cut-off of the clutch mechanism can be held by the second float device 28 in a holding state, when the second wash water quantity is selected by the wash water quantity selection means.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a flush water tank apparatus, and more particularly to a flush water tank apparatus that supplies flush water to a flush toilet, and a flush toilet apparatus equipped with the same. [Background technology]

[0002] JP 2009-257061 A (Patent Document 1) describes a low tank device. In this low tank device, a hydraulic cylinder device having a piston and a water draining section is disposed inside a low tank equipped with a drain valve, and the piston and the drain valve are connected by a connecting section. When flushing water is to be discharged from the low tank, a solenoid valve is opened to supply water to the hydraulic cylinder device and push up the piston. Since the piston is connected to the drain valve by a connecting section, the movement of the piston pulls up the drain valve, opening the drain valve and discharging flushing water from the low tank. The water supplied to the hydraulic cylinder device flows out from the water draining section and flows into the low tank.

[0003] Furthermore, when the drain valve is closed, the solenoid valve is closed to stop the supply of water to the hydraulic cylinder device. This causes the piston that was pushed up to descend, and the drain valve returns to its closed position due to its own weight. At this time, the water in the hydraulic cylinder device flows out little by little from the water draining section, so the piston descends slowly and the drain valve also returns to its closed position slowly. In addition, in the low-tank device described in Patent Document 1, the time that the solenoid valve is open is adjusted to change the time that the drain valve is open, thereby achieving flushes with different amounts of flush water, such as large flushes and small flushes. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2009-257061 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, the low tank device described in Patent Document 1 has a problem in that it is difficult to precisely set the amount of flush water discharged. That is, in the low tank device described in Patent Document 1, after the solenoid valve is closed to close the drain valve, the water in the hydraulic cylinder device flows out little by little from the draining section, so the piston moves down slowly and it is difficult to set the opening time of the drain valve to a short time. In addition, since the speed of the piston's descent depends on the flow rate of water from the draining section and the sliding resistance of the piston, there is a possibility that variation will occur and that changes will occur over time. Therefore, in the low tank device described in Patent Document 1, it is difficult to precisely set the amount of flush water discharged.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a flush water tank device that can precisely set the amount of flush water discharged while using the water pressure of the supplied water to open the drain valve, and a flush toilet device equipped with the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, one embodiment of the present invention is a flush water tank apparatus which supplies flush water to a flush toilet, comprising a water storage tank which stores flush water to be supplied to the flush toilet and in which a drain outlet is formed for discharging the stored flush water to the flush toilet, a drain valve which opens and closes the drain outlet to start and stop the supply of flush water to the flush toilet, a drain valve hydraulic drive section which uses the water supply pressure of supplied tap water to drive the drain valve, a clutch mechanism which connects the drain valve and the drain valve hydraulic drive section and lifts the drain valve by the driving force of the drain valve hydraulic drive section and is disconnected at a predetermined lifted height of the drain valve to lower the drain valve, flush water volume selection means which is capable of selecting a first flush water volume for flushing the flush toilet and a second flush water volume different from the first flush water volume, and a first float device which moves in accordance with the water level in the water storage tank, the first float device being configured to switch in conjunction with the water level from a holding state that restricts the descent of the drain valve to a non-holding state that does not restrict the descent so that the second volume of flush water is discharged; the second float device being moved in accordance with the water level in the water storage tank, the second float device being configured to switch in conjunction with the water level from a holding state that restricts the descent of the drain valve to a non-holding state that does not restrict the descent so that the second volume of flush water is discharged; and an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the raised height of the drain valve at which the clutch mechanism is disengaged, the adjustment mechanism being configured so that when the second volume of flush water is selected by the flush water volume selection means, the clutch mechanism is disengaged at a raised height of the drain valve such that the drain valve, which is lowered by disengaging the clutch mechanism, is held by the second float device in a holding state. According to one embodiment of the present invention configured in this manner, the drain valve and the drain valve hydraulic drive unit are connected by a clutch mechanism and are disconnected at a predetermined lift height of the drain valve, so that the drain valve can be moved regardless of the operating speed of the drain valve hydraulic drive unit, and the drain valve can be closed. As a result, even if there is variation in the operating speed of the drain valve hydraulic drive unit when the drain valve is lowered, it is possible to control the timing at which the drain valve is closed without being influenced by the variation. Also, the adjustment mechanism is configured so that when the second flush water volume is selected by the flush water volume selection means, the clutch mechanism is disconnected at a lift height of the drain valve at which the drain valve, which is lowered by disconnecting the clutch mechanism, is held by the second float device. As a result, the second flush water volume can be stably discharged into the flush toilet by the second float device. Therefore, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the first and second flush water volumes can be set while using the clutch mechanism.

[0008] In one embodiment of the present invention, preferably, the second flush water volume is smaller than the first flush water volume, a first height position at which the first float device engages with the drain valve in the held state is higher than a second height position at which the second float device engages with the drain valve in the held state, and the adjustment mechanism is configured so that when the second flush water volume is selected by the flush water volume selection means, the clutch mechanism is disengaged when the engagement portions of the drain valve with the first and second float devices are at a height position between the first and second height positions. According to one embodiment of the present invention configured in this manner, the adjustment mechanism is formed so that, when the second flush water volume is selected by the flush water volume selection means, the clutch mechanism is disengaged when the engagement portion of the drain valve with the first and second float devices is at a height position between the first and second height positions. This allows the second float device to stably discharge the second flush water volume into the flush toilet. Also, even if an event occurs in which the clutch mechanism cannot be disengaged when the engagement portion of the drain valve with the first and second float devices is at a height position between the first and second height positions when the second flush water volume is selected by the flush water volume selection means, and the drain valve is raised higher, the engagement portion of the drain valve can engage with the first float device in the held state, and the first flush water volume, which is greater than the second flush water volume, can be discharged into the flush toilet. This makes it possible to suppress poor flushing of the flush toilet.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present invention, preferably, the adjustment mechanism includes a movable rod member, and the clutch mechanism is disengaged when the rod member of the adjustment mechanism abuts against the clutch mechanism. According to one embodiment of the present invention configured as described above, the adjustment mechanism includes a movable rod member, and the clutch mechanism is disengaged when the rod member of the adjustment mechanism abuts against the clutch mechanism. As a result, the clutch mechanism can be disengaged more reliably by the rod member physically abutting against the clutch mechanism, compared to, for example, a case in which cleaning water discharged from the adjustment mechanism is caused to collide against the clutch mechanism.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the moving direction in which the rod member of the adjustment mechanism moves and the separating direction in which the clutch mechanism is disengaged and separated are preferably different directions. According to one embodiment of the present invention configured as described above, the direction in which the rod member of the adjustment mechanism moves is different from the direction in which the clutch mechanism is disengaged and separated, which allows the clutch mechanism to be disengaged more reliably than if the direction in which the rod member moves and the direction in which the clutch mechanism is disengaged and separated were the same.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, preferably, the rod member of the adjustment mechanism is moved to a disengaged position at which the clutch mechanism is disengaged before the drain valve reaches a lifting height at which the clutch mechanism is disengaged. According to one embodiment of the present invention configured in this manner, the clutch mechanism is raised as it reaches the rod member that has reached the disconnection position, so that the clutch mechanism can be disconnected while being raised in the same manner as when the first flush water volume is selected and the drain valve is disconnected at a specified raised height, thereby enabling the clutch mechanism to be disconnected more reliably.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, preferably, the rod member of the adjustment mechanism remains in the disengaged position for a predetermined time even after the drain valve reaches the raised height at which the clutch mechanism is disengaged. According to one embodiment of the present invention configured in this manner, the rod member of the adjustment mechanism remains in the disconnected position for a predetermined period of time even after the drain valve reaches the raised height at which the clutch mechanism is disconnected, thereby further increasing the reliability of disconnecting the clutch mechanism.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, the adjustment mechanism is preferably configured to move the rod member by supplied cleaning water. According to one embodiment of the present invention configured in this manner, the adjustment mechanism is formed so as to move the rod member using supplied cleaning water, so that the clutch mechanism can be disconnected using a compact and simple structure by utilizing the supply of cleaning water.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, preferably, the drain valve hydraulic drive unit is arranged outside the drain valve casing, inside which the drain valve is arranged, and spaced apart from the drain valve casing, and the clutch mechanism is arranged at a position on the drain valve hydraulic drive unit side between the drain valve hydraulic drive unit and the drain valve casing. According to one embodiment of the present invention configured in this manner, the drain valve hydraulic drive unit is disposed outside the drain valve casing with the drain valve disposed inside, and is spaced from the drain valve casing, and the clutch mechanism is disposed at a position on the drain valve hydraulic drive unit side between the drain valve casing and the drain valve hydraulic drive unit. This allows the clutch mechanism to be disposed at a position on the drain valve hydraulic drive unit side between the drain valve casing and the drain valve hydraulic drive unit, improving the degree of freedom in setting the position at which the clutch mechanism is disconnected and the degree of freedom in the position at which the clutch mechanism is disposed.

[0015] Also, a flush toilet apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention is characterized by comprising the flush water tank apparatus of the present invention and a flush toilet that is flushed with flush water supplied from this flush water tank apparatus. Effect of the Invention

[0016] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a flush water tank device that can precisely set the amount of flush water discharged while opening the drain valve using a drain valve hydraulic drive unit, and a flush toilet device equipped with the same. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing an entire flush toilet apparatus equipped with a flush water tank apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the schematic configuration of a flush water tank assembly according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] 3 is a diagram showing typically the configuration and operation of a clutch mechanism provided in a flush water tank assembly according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 4]FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing a drain valve, a first float device, and a second float device that are provided in a flush water tank assembly according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the operation of the flush water tank assembly according to the first embodiment of the present invention in large flush mode. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the operation of the flush water tank assembly according to the first embodiment of the present invention in large flush mode. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the operation of the flush water tank assembly according to the first embodiment of the present invention in large flush mode. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the operation of the flush water tank assembly according to the first embodiment of the present invention in large flush mode. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the operation of the flush water tank assembly according to the first embodiment of the present invention in large flush mode. [Figure 10] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the operation of the flush water tank assembly according to the first embodiment of the present invention in large flush mode. [Figure 11] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the operation of the flush water tank assembly according to the first embodiment of the present invention in small-flush mode. [Figure 12] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the operation of the flush water tank assembly according to the first embodiment of the present invention in small-flush mode. [Figure 13] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the operation of the flush water tank assembly according to the first embodiment of the present invention in small-flush mode. [Figure 14] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the operation of the flush water tank assembly according to the first embodiment of the present invention in small-flush mode. [Figure 15] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the operation of the flush water tank assembly according to the first embodiment of the present invention in small-flush mode. [Figure 16] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the schematic configuration of a flush water tank assembly according to a second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] Next, a flush toilet device according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an entire flush toilet apparatus equipped with a flush water tank apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the schematic configuration of the flush water tank apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] As shown in Figure 1, a flush toilet apparatus 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention is made up of a flush toilet main body 2, which is a flush toilet, and a flush water tank apparatus 4 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, placed on the rear of this flush toilet main body 2. The flush toilet apparatus 1 of this embodiment is configured so that, after use, the bowl section 2a of the flush toilet main body 2 is flushed when a remote control device 6 attached to the wall is operated, or when a human presence sensor 8 provided on the toilet seat detects that the user has left the seat, and a predetermined time has passed. The flush water tank apparatus 4 according to this embodiment is configured to discharge flush water stored inside into the flush toilet main body 2 based on a command signal from the remote control device 6 or the human presence sensor 8, and to use this flush water to flush the bowl section 2a.

[0020] Also, a "large flush" or "small flush" for flushing the bowl section 2a is executed by the user pressing the push button 6a on the remote control device 6. Therefore, in this embodiment, the remote control device 6 functions as a flush water volume selection means capable of selecting a first flush water volume for flushing the flush toilet body 2 and a second flush water volume different from the first flush water volume. In this embodiment, the second flush water volume is smaller than the first flush water volume. As a modified example, the first flush water volume may be smaller than the second flush water volume. Note that, although the human sensor 8 is provided on the toilet seat in this embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this form, and it is sufficient to provide it in a position where it can detect the user's sitting down, leaving the seat, approaching, leaving, and hand-waving actions, and it can also be provided on the flush toilet body 2 or the flush water tank device 4, for example. Also, it is sufficient for the human sensor 8 to be capable of detecting the user's sitting down, leaving the seat, approaching, leaving, and hand-waving actions, and for example, an infrared sensor or a microwave sensor can be used as the human sensor 8. Furthermore, the remote control device 6 may be changed to an operating lever device or an operating button device having a structure capable of mechanically controlling the opening and closing of the first control valve 16 and the second control valve 22 described below.

[0021] As shown in Figure 2, the flush water tank apparatus 4 supplies flush water to the flush toilet main body 2. The flush water tank apparatus 4 has a water storage tank 10 which stores flush water to be supplied to the flush toilet main body 2, a drain valve 12 for opening and closing a drain outlet 10a provided in this water storage tank 10, and a drain valve hydraulic drive unit 14 which drives this drain valve 12. The flush water tank apparatus 4 also has inside the water storage tank 10 a first control valve 16 which controls the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 14 and the supply of water into the water storage tank 10, and an electromagnetic valve 18 attached to the first control valve 16. The flush water tank apparatus 4 also has inside the water storage tank 10 a second control valve 22 for supplying flush water to an adjustment mechanism which will be described later, and an electromagnetic valve 24 attached to the second control valve 22.

[0022] Furthermore, the flush water tank apparatus 4 further comprises a first float device 26 which is a timing control mechanism for holding the raised drain valve 12 in a first position, and a second float device 28 for holding the drain valve 12 in a second position which is lower than the first position. Furthermore, the flush water tank apparatus 4 has a clutch mechanism 30 which connects the drain valve 12 and the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 14, and raises the drain valve 12 by the driving force of the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 14.

[0023] The water storage tank 10 is a tank configured to store flush water to be supplied to the flush toilet body 2, and a drain outlet 10a is formed at the bottom thereof for discharging the stored flush water into the flush toilet body 2. Additionally, an overflow pipe 10b is connected to the downstream side of the drain outlet 10a within the water storage tank 10. This overflow pipe 10b rises vertically from near the drain outlet 10a and extends above the full water level WL of the flush water stored in the water storage tank 10. Therefore, flush water that flows in from the upper end of the overflow pipe 10b bypasses the drain outlet 10a and flows out directly into the flush toilet body 2.

[0024] The drain valve 12 is a valve body arranged to open and close the drain outlet 10a, and controls the supply and stop of flush water to the flush toilet body 2. The drain valve 12 is opened by being pulled upward, and flush water in the water storage tank 10 is discharged into the flush toilet body 2, flushing the bowl section 2a. The drain valve 12 is also pulled up by the driving force of the drain valve hydraulic drive section 14, and when it is pulled up to a predetermined lift height, the clutch mechanism 30 is disconnected and the drain valve 12 descends under its own weight. When the drain valve 12 descends, it is held for a predetermined time by the first float device 26 or the second float device 28, and the time until the drain valve 12 seats on the drain outlet 10a is adjusted.

[0025] The drain valve hydraulic drive unit 14 is configured to use the water supply pressure of flush water supplied from the water mains to drive the drain valve 12. Specifically, the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 14 has a cylinder 14a into which water supplied from the first control valve 16 flows, a piston 14b slidably disposed within this cylinder 14a, and a rod 32 that protrudes from the lower end of the cylinder 14a and drives the drain valve 12.

[0026] Furthermore, a spring 14c is disposed inside the cylinder 14a, and biases the piston 14b downward. A packing 14e is attached to the piston 14b, and watertightness is ensured between the inner wall surface of the cylinder 14a and the piston 14b. Furthermore, a clutch mechanism 30 is provided at the lower end of the rod 32, and this clutch mechanism 30 connects and disconnects the rod 32 and the valve shaft 12a of the drain valve 12.

[0027] The cylinder 14a is a cylindrical member that is disposed with its axis oriented vertically and that slidably receives the piston 14b inside. A drive water supply passage 34a is connected to the lower end of the cylinder 14a, and flush water flowing out of the first control valve 16 flows into the cylinder 14a. Therefore, the piston 14b in the cylinder 14a is pushed up against the biasing force of the spring 14c by the flush water that flows into the cylinder 14a.

[0028] On the other hand, an outflow hole is provided at the top of the cylinder 14a, and the drive unit drainage channel 34b communicates with the inside of the cylinder 14a through this outflow hole. Therefore, when flushing water flows into the cylinder 14a from the drive unit water supply channel 34a connected to the bottom of the cylinder 14a, the piston 14b is pushed upward from the bottom of the cylinder 14a, which is the first position. The piston 14b is driven by the pressure of the flushing water that has flowed into the cylinder. Then, when the piston 14b is pushed up to a second position above the outflow hole, the water that has flowed into the cylinder 14a flows out from the outflow hole through the drive unit drainage channel 34b. That is, when the piston 14b is moved to the second position, the drive unit water supply channel 34a and the drive unit drainage channel 34b are communicated through the inside of the cylinder 14a. The drive unit drainage channel 34b is configured so that one channel flows out water into the water tank 10, and the other channel flows out water into the overflow pipe 10b. Therefore, a portion of the flush water supplied from the first control valve 16 is discharged into the flush toilet body 2 through the overflow pipe 10b, and the remainder is stored in the water storage tank 10.

[0029] The rod 32 is a rod-shaped member connected to the lower surface of the piston 14b, and extends from inside the cylinder 14a so as to protrude downward through a through hole 14f formed in the bottom surface of the cylinder 14a. The rod 32 is connected to the piston 14b and drives the drain valve 12. A gap 14d is provided between the rod 32 protruding from the lower side of the cylinder 14a and the inner wall of the through hole 14f of the cylinder 14a, and a part of the flush water that flows into the cylinder 14a flows out from this gap 14d. The water that flows out from the gap 14d flows into the water storage tank 10. Note that since this gap 14d is relatively narrow and has a large flow resistance, even if water flows out from the gap 14d, the pressure inside the cylinder 14a increases due to the flush water that flows into the cylinder 14a from the drive water supply passage 34a, and the piston 14b is pushed up against the biasing force of the spring 14c.

[0030] Next, the first control valve 16 is configured to control the water supply to the drain valve water pressure drive unit 14 based on the operation of the solenoid valve 18, and also to control the start and stop of water supply to the water storage tank 10 via the drive unit drain passage 34b. That is, the first control valve 16 includes a main valve body 16a, a main valve port 16b opened and closed by the main valve body 16a, a pressure chamber 16c for moving the main valve body 16a, a pilot valve 16d for switching the pressure in the pressure chamber 16c, and a pilot valve 16e.

[0031] The main valve body 16a is configured to open and close the main valve port 16b of the first control valve 16. When the main valve port 16b is opened, tap water supplied from the water supply pipe 38 flows into the drain valve water pressure actuator 14. The pressure chamber 16c is provided adjacent to the main valve body 16a inside the housing of the first control valve 16. A portion of the tap water supplied from the water supply pipe 38 flows into this pressure chamber 16c, causing the internal pressure to increase. When the pressure inside the pressure chamber 16c increases, the main valve body 16a moves toward the main valve port 16b, and the main valve port 16b is closed.

[0032] The pilot valves 16d and 16e are configured to open and close a pilot valve port (not shown) provided in the pressure chamber 16c. When the pilot valve opens the pilot valve port (not shown), water flows out of the pressure chamber 16c and the internal pressure drops. When the pressure in the pressure chamber 16c drops, the main valve body 16a leaves the main valve port 16b and the first control valve 16 opens. When both the pilot valves 16d and 16e are closed, the pressure in the pressure chamber 16c rises and the first control valve 16 closes.

[0033] The pilot valve 16d is moved by a solenoid valve 18 attached to the pilot valve 16d to open and close a pilot valve port (not shown). The solenoid valve 18 is electrically connected to a controller 40, and moves the pilot valve 16d based on a command signal from the controller 40. Specifically, the controller 40 receives a signal from the remote control device 6 or the human sensor 8, and sends an electric signal to the solenoid valve 18 to operate it.

[0034] On the other hand, a float switch 42 is connected to the pilot valve 16e. The float switch 42 is configured to control the pilot valve 16e based on the water level in the water storage tank 10 and open and close the pilot valve port (not shown). That is, when the water level in the water storage tank 10 reaches a predetermined water level, the float switch 42 sends a signal to the pilot valve 16e to close the pilot valve port (not shown). That is, the float switch 42 is configured to set the water level in the water storage tank 10 to a predetermined full water level WL, which is a water stop water level. The float switch 42 is disposed in the water storage tank 10, and is configured to stop the water supply from the first control valve 16 to the drain valve water pressure drive unit 14 when the water level in the water storage tank 10 rises to the full water level WL. The float switch 42 can be changed to a ball tap mechanism. This ball tap mechanism includes a ball tap float that moves up and down according to the water level, and a support arm that is connected to the ball tap float and acts on the pilot valve 16e. As a result, when the water level in the water storage tank 10 rises to the full water level WL, the ball tap float rises and the support arm connected to the ball tap float is rotated upward, mechanically closing the pilot valve port (not shown) of the pilot valve 16e. When the water level in the water storage tank 10 falls below the full water level WL, the ball tap float descends and the support arm connected to the ball tap float is rotated downward, mechanically opening the pilot valve port (not shown) of the pilot valve 16e.

[0035] In addition, a vacuum breaker 36 is provided in the drive water supply passage 34a between the first control valve 16 and the drain valve water pressure drive unit 14. This vacuum breaker 36 prevents water from flowing back to the first control valve 16 side when negative pressure occurs on the first control valve 16 side.

[0036] Next, the second control valve 22 is configured to control the supply and stop of water to the adjustment mechanism 58 described later based on the operation of the solenoid valve 24. The second control valve 22 is connected to the water supply pipe 38 via the first control valve 16, but regardless of whether the first control valve 16 is open or closed, tap water supplied from the water supply pipe 38 always flows into the second control valve 22. The second control valve 22 is provided with a main valve body 22a, a pressure chamber 22b, and a pilot valve 22c, and the pilot valve 22c is opened and closed by the solenoid valve 24. When the pilot valve 22c is opened by the solenoid valve 24, the main valve body 22a of the second control valve 22 is opened, and tap water flowing in from the water supply pipe 38 is supplied to the adjustment mechanism 58. The solenoid valve 24 is electrically connected to the controller 40, and moves the pilot valve 22c based on a command signal from the controller 40. Specifically, the controller 40 sends an electric signal to the solenoid valve 24 based on the operation of the remote control device 6 to operate it.

[0037] In addition, a vacuum breaker 44 is provided in the water supply line 50. When negative pressure occurs on the second control valve 22 side, the vacuum breaker 44 prevents water from flowing back toward the second control valve 22 side. A cylinder portion 60 is connected to the water supply line 50 extending from the second control valve 22.

[0038] Furthermore, water supplied from the water mains is supplied to the first control valve 16 and the second control valve 22 via a stop valve 38a arranged outside the water storage tank 10 and a constant flow valve 38b arranged inside the water storage tank 10 downstream of this stop valve 38a. The stop valve 38a is provided to stop the supply of water to the flush water tank device 4 during maintenance and the like, and is normally used in an open state. The constant flow valve 38b is provided to allow water supplied from the water mains to flow into the first control valve 16 and the second control valve 22 at a predetermined flow rate, and is configured so that a constant flow rate of water is supplied regardless of the installation environment of the flush toilet device 1.

[0039] The controller 40 has a built-in CPU, memory, etc., and controls the connected devices to execute a large-flush mode and a small-flush mode, which will be described later, based on a predetermined control program recorded in the memory, etc. The controller 40 is electrically connected to the remote control device 6, the human sensor 8, the solenoid valve 18, the solenoid valve 24, etc.

[0040] Next, with additional reference to FIG. 3, the configuration and operation of the clutch mechanism 30 will be described. FIG. 3 shows a schematic configuration of the clutch mechanism 30 and also shows its operation when it is pulled up by the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 14.

[0041] First, as shown in Fig. 3(a), the clutch mechanism 30 is provided at the lower end of a rod 32 extending downward from the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 14, and is configured to connect / disconnect the lower end of the rod 32 and the upper end of the valve shaft 12a of the drain valve 12. The clutch mechanism 30 has a rotating shaft 30a attached to the lower end of the rod 32, a hook member 30b supported by the rotating shaft 30a, and an engaging claw 30c provided at the upper end of the valve shaft 12a. With this structure, the clutch mechanism 30 is disconnected at a predetermined timing and at a predetermined lift height, allowing the drain valve 12 to descend.

[0042] The rotating shaft 30a is attached to the lower end of the rod 32 in a horizontal direction, and rotatably supports the hook member 30b. The hook member 30b is a plate-shaped member, and its middle part is rotatably supported by the rotating shaft 30a. The lower end of the hook member 30b is bent into a hook shape to form a hook part. The engagement claw 30c provided on the upper end of the valve shaft 12a of the drain valve 12 is a right-angled triangular claw. The base of the engagement claw 30c is oriented substantially horizontally, and the side is formed so as to slope downward.

[0043] 3(a), the drain valve 12 is seated in the drain port 10a, and the drain port 10a is closed. In this state, the drain valve hydraulic actuator 14 and the drain valve 12 are connected, and in this connected state, the hook portion of the hook member 30b is engaged with the bottom side of the engagement claw 30c, and the drain valve 12 can be pulled up by the rod 32.

[0044] Next, as shown in FIG. 3B, when flush water is supplied to the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 14, the piston 14b moves upward, and the drain valve 12 is raised by the rod 32. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3C, when the drain valve 12 is raised to a predetermined position, the upper end of the hook member 30b abuts against the bottom surface of the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 14, and the hook member 30b is rotated about the rotation shaft 30a. Due to this rotation, the hook portion at the lower end of the hook member 30b is moved in a direction away from the engaging claw 30c, and the engagement between the hook member 30b and the engaging claw 30c is released. When the engagement between the hook member 30b and the engaging claw 30c is released, the drain valve 12 descends through the flush water stored in the water storage tank 10 toward the drain port 10a, as shown in FIG. 3D. (Note that, as described later, the lowered drain valve 12 is temporarily held at a predetermined height by the first holding mechanism 46 before it seats on the drain port 10a.)

[0045] Furthermore, as shown in (e) of FIG. 3, when the flush water supplied to the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 14 is stopped, the rod 32 is lowered by the biasing force of the spring 14c. When the rod 32 is lowered, the tip of the hook portion of the hook member 30b attached to the lower end of the rod 32 abuts against the engaging claw 30c, as shown in (f) of FIG. 3. When the rod 32 is further lowered, the hook portion of the hook member 30b is pushed by the inclined surface of the engaging claw 30c, and the hook member 30b is rotated, as shown in (g) of FIG. 3. When the rod 32 is further lowered, the hook portion of the hook member 30b overcomes the engaging claw 30c, and the hook member 30b is rotated to its original position by gravity, and the hook portion of the hook member 30b and the engaging claw 30c are engaged again, returning to the state shown in (a) of FIG. 3.

[0046] Returning again to Figures 2 and 4, the first float device 26 and second float device 28 of the flush water tank apparatus 4 will now be described. Figure 4 is an enlarged view of the drain valve 12, the first float device 26, and the second float device 28 in Figure 2. Column (a) of Figure 4 shows the drain valve 12 in a closed state, and column (b) shows the drain valve 12 in an open state held by the first float device 26.

[0047] As shown in Fig. 4, the first float device 26 is moved according to the water level in the water storage tank 10. The first float device 26 is configured to switch from a holding state, in which the descent of the drain valve 12 is restricted, to a non-holding state, in which the descent is not restricted, in conjunction with the water level in the water storage tank 10 so that a first amount of flush water is discharged. The first float device 26 has a first float 26a and a first holding mechanism 46 that rotatably supports the first float 26a. The first float 26a is a hollow rectangular parallelepiped member, and is configured to receive buoyancy from the flush water stored in the water storage tank 10. When the water level in the water storage tank 10 is equal to or higher than a predetermined water level, this buoyancy causes the first float 26a to assume the state shown by the solid line in column (a) of Figure 4.

[0048] The first holding mechanism 46 is a mechanism for rotatably supporting the first float 26a, and includes a support shaft 46a, and an arm member 46b and an engagement member 46c supported by the support shaft 46a. The support shaft 46a is a rotating shaft fixed to the water tank 10 by an arbitrary member (not shown), and rotatably supports the arm member 46b and the engagement member 46c. On the other hand, a holding claw 12b formed to be able to engage with the engagement member 46c is formed at the base end of the valve shaft 12a of the drain valve 12. The holding claw 12b is a protrusion in the shape of a right triangle, and extends from the base end of the valve shaft 12a toward the engagement member 46c, with its base oriented horizontally and its side extending so as to be inclined downward.

[0049] The support shaft 46a is an axis extending in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 4, and both ends thereof are fixed to the water tank 10 by any member (not shown), and the middle part is curved so as to move away from the valve shaft 12a. The arm member 46b is a bent beam-shaped member, and its lower end is configured to branch into two. The lower ends of these branched arm members 46b are supported rotatably at both ends of the support shaft 46a. Therefore, even if the drain valve 12 is moved in the vertical direction, the support shaft 46a and the arm member 46b do not interfere with the retaining claws 12b provided on the valve shaft 12a of the drain valve 12.

[0050] On the other hand, the upper end of the arm member 46b is fixed to the bottom surface of the first float 26a. Therefore, when the first float 26a is receiving buoyancy, the first float 26a is held in the state shown by the solid line in column (a) of Fig. 4. Also, when the water level in the water storage tank 10 drops, the first float 26a and the arm member 46b are rotated by their own weight around the support shaft 46a to the state shown by the imaginary line in column (a) of Fig. 4. The rotation of the first float 26a and the arm member 46b is limited between the holding state of the first holding mechanism 46 shown by the solid line in column (a) of Fig. 4 and the non-holding state shown by the imaginary line.

[0051] Furthermore, the engaging member 46c is a member rotatably attached to the support shaft 46a, and its base end is rotatably supported at both ends of the support shaft 46a. The engaging member 46c also extends such that its tip is curved toward the valve shaft 12a of the drain valve 12. Therefore, in the holding state where the engaging member 46c is rotated to the position shown by the solid line in column (a) of FIG. 4, the tip of the engaging member 46c interferes with the holding claw 12b provided on the valve shaft 12a. In contrast, in the non-holding state where the engaging member 46c is rotated to the position shown by the imaginary line in column (a) of FIG. 4, there is no interference between the tip of the engaging member 46c and the holding claw 12b.

[0052] The engaging member 46c is configured to rotate around the support shaft 46a in conjunction with the arm member 46b. That is, when the first float 26a and the arm member 46b are rotated from the state shown by the solid line in section (a) of FIG. 4 to the state shown by the imaginary line, the engaging member 46c is also rotated in conjunction with the arm member 46b to the state shown by the imaginary line. However, when the tip of the engaging member 46c is pushed upward by the holding claw 12b of the drain valve 12 in the state shown by the solid line in section (a) of FIG. 4, only the engaging member 46c can rotate while rotating freely. That is, when the tip of the engaging member 46c is pushed upward by the holding claw 12b, only the engaging member 46c can rotate to the position shown by the imaginary line in FIG. 4 while the first float 26a and the arm member 46b are held in the position shown by the solid line.

[0053] On the other hand, as shown by the solid line in (b) of FIG. 4, when the drain valve 12 is pulled up and the retaining claw 12b is located above the engaging member 46c, the retaining claw 12b engages with the engaging member 46c, preventing the drain valve 12 from descending. That is, the engaging member 46c constituting the first holding mechanism 46 engages with the drain valve 12 to hold the drain valve 12 at a predetermined height. Therefore, when the drain valve 12 is pulled up by the rod 32 (FIG. 3) connected to the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 14 and the clutch mechanism 30 is subsequently disengaged, the drain valve 12 descends. During this descent, the retaining claw 12b of the drain valve 12 engages with the engaging member 46c of the first holding mechanism 46, and the drain valve 12 is held at a predetermined height. The height position at which the retaining claw 12b engages with the engaging member 46c is the first height position L1.

[0054] Next, when the water level in the water tank 10 drops, the position of the first float 26a drops, and the first float 26a and the arm member 46b rotate to the position shown by the imaginary line in section (b) of Fig. 4 (as described later, in this state, the second float device 28 has also rotated to the position shown by the imaginary line). In conjunction with this rotation, the engagement member 46c also rotates to the position shown by the imaginary line in section (b) of Fig. 4, and the engagement between the retaining claw 12b and the engagement member 46c is released. As a result, the drain valve 12 descends and seats on the drain port 10a, closing the drain port 10a.

[0055] Next, the second float device 28 will be described with reference to FIG. The second float device 28 moves according to the water level in the water storage tank 10. The second float device 28 is formed to switch from a holding state, in which the descent of the drain valve 12 is restricted, to a non-holding state, in which the descent is not restricted, in conjunction with the water level in the water storage tank 10 so that a second amount of flush water is discharged. The second float device 28 has a second float 28a and a second holding mechanism 48 that rotatably supports the second float 28a, and is disposed on the opposite side of the first float device 26 across the valve shaft 12a of the drain valve 12. The second float 28a is a hollow rectangular parallelepiped member, and is configured to receive buoyancy from the flush water stored in the water storage tank 10. When the water level in the water storage tank 10 is equal to or higher than a predetermined water level, this buoyancy causes the second float 28a to assume a retained state, as shown by the solid line in column (a) of Figure 4.

[0056] The second holding mechanism 48 is a mechanism for rotatably supporting the second float 28a, and includes a support shaft 48a, and an arm member 48b and an engagement member 48c supported by the support shaft 48a. The configuration and operation of the second holding mechanism 48 are similar to those of the first holding mechanism 46, but the engagement member 48c constituting the second holding mechanism 48 is arranged to engage with a holding claw 12c provided on the valve shaft 12a of the drain valve 12. The holding claw 12c is also a right-angled triangular projection, similar to the holding claw 12b with which the engagement member 46c of the first holding mechanism 46 engages, and is formed on the valve shaft 12a of the drain valve 12 at the same height as the holding claw 12b. The holding claw 12b and the holding claw 12c are formed symmetrically with respect to the valve shaft 12a. The holding claw 12c may be formed by forming the holding claw 12b in a ring shape around the valve shaft 12a. The height position where the retaining claws 12c and the engaging member 48c engage is the second height position L2. The first height position L1 where the first float device 26 engages with the drain valve 12 in the retained state is higher than the second height position L2 where the second float device 28 engages with the drain valve 12 in the retained state.

[0057] In addition, the support shaft 48a of the second holding mechanism 48 is disposed at a lower position than the support shaft 46a of the first holding mechanism 46. Therefore, when the drain valve 12 is held by the second holding mechanism 48, it is held at a lower position than when it is held by the first holding mechanism 46. Furthermore, since the arm member 48b of the second holding mechanism 48 is formed longer than the arm member 46b of the first holding mechanism 46, the second float 28a is supported at a higher position than the first float 26a. As a result, when the water level in the water storage tank 10 is low, the second float 28a is rotated to the non-holding state position shown by the imaginary line in FIG. 4 before the first float 26a.

[0058] Next, the adjustment mechanism for the flush water tank assembly will be described with reference to FIG. The flush water tank device 4 further includes an adjustment mechanism 58 that adjusts the lift height of the drain valve 12 at which the clutch mechanism 30 is disengaged. Adjustment mechanism 58 is formed so that, when a second flush water volume is selected by remote control device 6, clutch mechanism 30 is disengaged at a raised height of drain valve 12 at which drain valve 12, which is lowered by disengaging clutch mechanism 30, is held by second float device 28 in the held state. Adjustment mechanism 58 is formed so that, when a second flush water volume is selected by remote control device 6, clutch mechanism 30 is disengaged when retention claws 12b and 12c, which are engagement parts of drain valve 12 with first float device 26 and second float device 28, are at a height position between first height position L1 and second height position L2.

[0059] The adjustment mechanism 58 includes a cylinder portion 60 that forms a cylindrical cylinder for forming a piston cylinder, a pressure chamber 58a into which water supplied from the water supply passage 50 flows, an elastic membrane 58b that is a drive portion driven by the water supply pressure of the water that has flowed into this pressure chamber 58a, a rod member 62 that is driven by this elastic membrane 58b and applies an operating force to the clutch mechanism 30, and a spring 64 that is arranged in the cylinder portion 60 and urges the rod member 62 to a standby state by means of a repulsive force.

[0060] The cylinder portion 60 is connected to the water supply passage 50, and is formed so that flush water can be stored within the cylinder portion 60. The cylinder portion 60 is disposed at a position slightly lower than the bottom surface of the drain valve water pressure drive portion 14.

[0061] The pressure chamber 58a is formed to have a volume smaller than the volume of the cylinder 14a of the drain valve water pressure drive unit 14. This makes it possible to drive the rod member 62 by simply supplying a small amount of tap water to the pressure chamber 58a, thereby making it possible to increase the responsiveness of the adjustment mechanism 58.

[0062] In addition, an outflow hole (not shown) is provided at the lower end of the pressure chamber 58a, and the water that flows into the pressure chamber 58a flows out from this outflow hole into the water tank 10. Since this outflow hole is relatively narrow and has a large flow resistance, the pressure in the pressure chamber 58a increases due to the water flowing in from the second control valve 22, even when water flows out from the outflow hole.

[0063] The elastic membrane 58b is formed of a diaphragm or the like, and is configured to elastically deform based on the water supply pressure of the water that has flowed into the pressure chamber 58a, thereby driving the rod member 62. This makes it unnecessary to provide a sliding seal for the piston, as compared to a case in which the rod member 62 is driven by sliding a piston inside the pressure chamber 58a, and makes it possible to eliminate the sliding resistance of the piston.

[0064] The rod member 62 has a base end connected to the elastic membrane 58b, a tip end extending horizontally toward the clutch mechanism 30, and is pushed and moved by flush water supplied and stored in the cylinder portion 60. The rod member 62 is a rigid member with a rod. The rod member 62 is formed so as to move laterally toward the rod 32 on the side below the bottom surface of the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 14. The tip of the rod member 62 is formed in a T-shape, and the upper end 62a of this T-shape is disposed near the bottom surface of the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 14. The rod member 62 has a base end attached to the elastic membrane 58b, and protrudes laterally toward the clutch mechanism 30 from the housing constituting the pressure chamber 58a, but there is no need to provide an axial seal between the housing constituting the pressure chamber 58a and the axial rod of the rod member 62. This makes it possible to eliminate the sliding resistance caused by the axial seal between the housing of the pressure chamber 58a and the rod member 62.

[0065] The elastic membrane 58b is deformed by the pressure rise in the pressure chamber 58a, and the rod member 62 is protruded toward the clutch mechanism 30. When water stops flowing in from the second control valve 22, water flows out from the outflow hole, and the pressure in the pressure chamber 58a drops. When the pressure in the pressure chamber 58a drops, the elastic membrane 58b returns to its original shape, and the rod member 62 moves toward the pressure chamber 58a. As described below, the rod member 62 is protruded toward the clutch mechanism 30, which is a drain valve holding mechanism, and the engagement between the valve shaft 12a of the drain valve 12 and the first rod member 32 by the clutch mechanism 30 is released early. In addition, the horizontal direction in which the rod member 62 protrudes intersects with the vertical direction in which the drain valve 12 is pulled up. This ensures that the engagement between the first rod member 32 and the valve shaft 12a of the drain valve 12 by the clutch mechanism 30 can be released reliably. More specifically, the upper end of the hook member 30b of the clutch mechanism 30 hits the lower end 62b of the T-shape, and the clutch mechanism 30 can be disconnected early, and the T-shape portion is formed as a flat plate extending vertically. When the clutch mechanism 30 hits the lower end 62b, the upper end 62a abuts on the bottom surface of the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 14. Therefore, when the clutch mechanism 30 hits the lower end 62b, the rod member 62 can stably disconnect the clutch mechanism 30. Also, the moving direction D1 in which the rod member 62 moves and the separating direction D2 in which the clutch mechanism 30 is separated and separated are different directions and form an angle of approximately 90 degrees.

[0066] The spring 64 is arranged on the drain valve shaft side within the cylinder portion 60, and is designed to move the rod member 62 toward the cylinder portion 60 (retract the rod member 62 toward the cylinder portion 60) when the supply of cleaning water into the cylinder portion 60 decreases.

[0067] Next, with new reference to FIG. 2 and FIG. 5 to FIG. 10, the operation of the flush water tank apparatus 4 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and the flush toilet apparatus 1 equipped with it, will be explained. First, in the toilet flush standby state shown in Fig. 2, the water level in the water storage tank 10 is at a predetermined full water level WL, and in this state, the first control valve 16 and the second control valve 22 are both closed. Also, the first holding mechanism 46 and the second holding mechanism 48 are in the holding state shown by the solid line in column (a) of Fig. 4. Next, when the user presses the large flush button on the remote control device 6 (Fig. 1), the remote control device 6 transmits an instruction signal to execute the large flush mode to the controller 40 (Fig. 2). Also, when the small flush button is pressed, an instruction signal to execute the small flush mode is transmitted to the controller 40. Thus, in this embodiment, the flush toilet device 1 has two flush modes, a large flush mode and a small flush mode, which have different flush water volumes, and the remote control device 6 functions as a flush water volume selection means for selecting the flush water volume.

[0068] In the flush toilet device 1 of this embodiment, a toilet flush command signal is also sent to the controller 40 if a predetermined time has passed without the flush button on the remote control device 6 being pressed after the human presence sensor 8 (Fig. 1) detects that the user has left the seat. Also, if the time between when the user sat down on the flush toilet device 1 and when they left the seat is less than the predetermined time, the controller 40 determines that the user has urinated, and executes the small flush mode. On the other hand, if the time between when the user sat down and when they left the seat is equal to or longer than the predetermined time, the controller 40 executes the large flush mode. Therefore, in this case, the large flush mode in which flushing is performed with a first flush water volume, and the small flush mode in which flushing is performed with a second flush water volume that is less than the first flush water volume are selected by the controller 40, and so the controller 40 functions as flush water volume selection means.

[0069] Next, the operation of the large-flush mode will be described with reference to FIGS. When a command signal to perform a large flush is received, as shown in FIG. 5, the controller 40 operates the solenoid valve 18 provided in the first control valve 16, and causes the pilot valve 16d on the solenoid valve side to unseat from the pilot valve port. This reduces the pressure in the pressure chamber 16c, and the main valve body 16a unseats from the main valve port 16b, which opens. When a large flush is selected, the second control valve 22 is always kept in a closed state, and no flush water is supplied to the adjustment mechanism 58. When the first control valve 16 is opened, flush water flowing in from the water supply pipe 38 is supplied to the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 14 via the first control valve 16. This pushes up the piston 14b of the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 14, which pulls up the drain valve 12 via the rod 32, and flush water in the water tank 10 is discharged from the drain port 10a to the flush toilet body 2.

[0070] When the drain valve 12 is lifted up, the retaining claw 12c provided on the valve shaft 12a of the drain valve 12 pushes up and rotates the engaging member 48c of the second holding mechanism 48, and the retaining claw 12c passes over the engaging member 48c. When the drain valve 12 is further lifted up, the retaining claw 12b pushes up and rotates the engaging member 46c of the first holding mechanism 46, and the retaining claw 12b passes over the engaging member 46c (see column (a) to column (b) in FIG. 4). Next, as shown in FIG. 6, when the drain valve 12 is further lifted up, the clutch mechanism 30 is disengaged. That is, when the drain valve 12 reaches a predetermined height, the upper end of the hook member 30b of the clutch mechanism 30 hits the bottom surface of the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 14, and the clutch mechanism 30 is disengaged (see column (b) to column (c) in FIG. 3).

[0071] When the clutch mechanism 30 is disconnected, the drain valve 12 begins to descend toward the drain outlet 10a due to its own weight. Here, immediately after the drain valve 12 is opened, the water level in the water tank 10 is high, so the first holding mechanism 46 and the second holding mechanism 48 are both in the holding state shown by the solid line in column (b) of FIG. 4. Therefore, the holding claw 12b of the descending drain valve 12 engages with the engaging member 46c of the first holding mechanism 46, and the drain valve 12 is held at a predetermined height by the first holding mechanism 46. As the drain valve 12 is held by the first holding mechanism 46, the drain outlet 10a is maintained in an open state, and the discharge of flush water in the water tank 10 to the flush toilet body 2 is maintained.

[0072] Next, as shown in FIG. 7, when the water level in the water tank 10 drops, the float switch 42 that detects the water level in the water tank 10 turns off. When the float switch 42 turns off, the pilot valve 16e (FIG. 2) on the float switch side provided in the first control valve 16 opens. On the other hand, when the pilot valve 16e opens, the controller 40 operates the solenoid valve 18 to close the pilot valve 16d on the solenoid valve side. As described above, the main valve body 16a of the first control valve 16 is configured to be closed when both the pilot valve 16e on the float switch side and the pilot valve 16d on the solenoid valve side are closed. Therefore, even after the pilot valve 16d on the solenoid valve side is closed, the first control valve 16 remains open, and water continues to be supplied to the water tank 10.

[0073] Also, as shown in Figure 7, when the water level in the water tank 10 drops to a predetermined water level WL2, the position of the second float 28a supported by the second holding mechanism 48 drops. This causes the second holding mechanism 48 to transition to the non-holding state shown by the imaginary line in column (b) of Figure 4. Meanwhile, because the first float 26a is supported at a lower position than the second float 28a, even in this state, the first holding mechanism 46 is maintained in the holding state, and flush water in the water tank 10 continues to be discharged.

[0074] As shown in Fig. 8, when the water level in the water tank 10 further drops to a predetermined water level WL1 that is lower than the predetermined water level WL2, the position of the first float 26a supported by the first holding mechanism 46 also drops. As a result, the first holding mechanism 46 also transitions to the non-holding state shown by the imaginary lines in Fig. 4(b), and the engagement between the engagement member 46c and the holding claw 12b of the drain valve 12 is released. As the first holding mechanism 46 transitions to the non-holding state, the drain valve 12 begins to descend again.

[0075] This causes the drain valve 12 to seat on the drain outlet 10a, closing the drain outlet 10a, as shown in Figure 9. In this way, when the large flush mode is executed, the drain valve 12 is held open until the water level in the water storage tank 10 drops from the full water level WL to the predetermined water level WL1, and the first flush water volume is discharged into the flush toilet body 2.

[0076] Meanwhile, because the float switch 42 is still in the off state, the first control valve 16 is maintained in an open state, and water continues to be supplied to the storage tank 10. The flush water supplied to the storage tank 10 passes through the drain valve water pressure drive unit 14 to the drain channel branching section 34c (Fig. 2), where a portion of the flush water branched off at the drain channel branching section 34c flows into overflow pipe 10b, and the remainder is stored in the storage tank 10. The flush water that flows into the overflow pipe 10b flows into the flush toilet body 2 and is used to refill the bowl section 2a. With the drain valve 12 closed, flush water flows into the storage tank 10, causing the water level in the storage tank 10 to rise.

[0077] As shown in FIG. 10, when the water level in the water storage tank 10 rises to a predetermined full water level WL, the float switch 42 is turned on. When the float switch 42 is turned on, the pilot valve 16e (FIG. 2) on the float switch side is closed. As a result, both the pilot valve 16e on the float switch side and the pilot valve 16d on the solenoid valve side are closed, so that the pressure in the pressure chamber 16c rises, the main valve body 16a of the first control valve 16 is closed, and water supply is stopped. When water supply to the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 14 is stopped, the piston 14b of the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 14 is pushed down by the biasing force of the spring 14c, and the rod 32 is lowered at the same time. As a result, the clutch mechanism 30 is connected (see lines (e) to (h) in FIG. 3), and the toilet returns to the standby state before the start of the toilet flush.

[0078] Next, the operation of the small-flush mode will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 2, the standby state of the toilet flush is the same as in the large flush mode. Upon receiving a command signal to perform a small flush, the controller 40 actuates the solenoid valve 18 provided in the first control valve 16, causing the first control valve 16 to open. Meanwhile, the controller 40 actuates the solenoid valve 24 provided in the second control valve 22, causing the pilot valve 22c to open, and supplies flush water to the water supply passage 50 extending from the second control valve 22. Thus, flush water is supplied from the water supply passage 50 to the adjustment mechanism 58.

[0079] When the first control valve 16 is opened, as shown in Figure 11, flush water flowing in from the water supply pipe 38 is supplied to the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 14 via the first control valve 16. This pushes up the piston 14b of the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 14, pulling up the drain valve 12 via the rod 32, and flush water in the water storage tank 10 is discharged from the drain port 10a to the flush toilet body 2. When the drain valve 12 is pulled up, the retaining claw 12c (Figure 4(a)) provided on the valve shaft 12a of the drain valve 12 pushes up and rotates the engaging member 48c of the second retaining mechanism 48, and the retaining claw 12c passes over the engaging member 48c.

[0080] As flush water is supplied from the water supply passage 50 into the cylinder portion 60, the rod member 62 of the adjustment mechanism 58 is moved laterally toward the rod 32 by water pressure. The T-shaped portion of the rod member 62 is disposed directly above the clutch mechanism 30. The rod member 62 of the adjustment mechanism 58 is moved to a disconnection position where the clutch mechanism 30 is disconnected before the drain valve 12 reaches the lifting height where the clutch mechanism 30 is disconnected by the bottom surface of the drain valve water pressure drive portion 14. Thus, the upper end of the hook member 30b of the clutch mechanism 30 moving upward hits the lower end 62b of the T-shape, and the clutch mechanism 30 is disconnected. The rod member 62 remains in the disconnection position for a predetermined time even after the drain valve 12 reaches the lifting height where the clutch mechanism 30 is disconnected.

[0081] As shown in FIG. 11 and FIG. 4B, when the second flush water volume is selected by the remote control device 6, the clutch mechanism 30 is disengaged by the adjustment mechanism 58 when the holding claws 12b and 12c of the drain valve 12 are at a height position between the first height position L1 and the second height position L2. When the clutch mechanism 30 is disengaged, the drain valve 12 begins to descend toward the drain outlet 10a due to its own weight. Here, since the water level in the water storage tank 10 is high immediately after the drain valve 12 is opened, the second holding mechanism 48 is in the holding state shown by the solid line in FIG. 4B. The first holding mechanism 46 is also in the holding state shown by the imaginary line in FIG. 4B. However, when the retaining claws 12b and 12c of the drain valve 12 are at a height position between the first height position L1 and the second height position L2, the clutch mechanism 30 is disengaged, and as shown in Figure 12, the retaining claws 12c of the drain valve 12 that has descended engage with the engaging member 48c of the second retaining mechanism 48, and the drain valve 12 is held at a predetermined height by the second retaining mechanism 48.

[0082] Here, when the drain valve 12 is held by the second holding mechanism 48, it is held at a lower position than when it is held by the first holding mechanism 46. By holding the drain valve 12 by the second holding mechanism 48, the drain port 10a is maintained in an open state, and the discharge of flush water in the water storage tank 10 to the flush toilet body 2 is maintained. In addition, after a sufficient amount of time has passed for the clutch mechanism 30 to be disconnected, the controller 40 sends a signal to the solenoid valve 24 (FIG. 2) at a predetermined timing to close the second control valve 22. This stops the supply of flush water to the adjustment mechanism 58. Therefore, the water pressure of the flush water in the cylinder portion 60 decreases, and the rod member 62 is pulled back toward the cylinder portion 60 by the spring 64.

[0083] Next, as shown in Fig. 13, when the water level in the water storage tank 10 drops, the float switch 42 that detects the water level in the water storage tank 10 turns off. When the float switch 42 turns off, the pilot valve 16e (Fig. 2) on the float switch side provided in the first control valve 16 opens. On the other hand, when the pilot valve 16e opens, the controller 40 actuates the solenoid valve 18 to close the pilot valve 16d on the solenoid valve side. As a result, even after the pilot valve 16d on the solenoid valve side is closed, the first control valve 16 remains open, and water continues to be supplied to the water storage tank 10.

[0084] Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 13, when the water level in the water tank 10 drops, the position of the second float 28a supported by the second holding mechanism 48 drops. This causes the second holding mechanism 48 to transition to a non-holding state shown by imaginary lines in column (b) of Fig. 4. This causes the engagement between the engagement member 48c and the holding claw 12c of the drain valve 12 to be released. As the second holding mechanism 48 transitions to the non-holding state, the drain valve 12 begins to descend again.

[0085] Next, as shown in Figure 14, the drain valve 12 seats on the drain outlet 10a, blocking the drain outlet 10a. In this way, when the small flush mode is executed, the drain valve 12 is held until the water level in the water storage tank 10 drops from the full water level WL to a predetermined water level WL2, and the second volume of flush water is discharged into the flush toilet body 2. Here, in the large flush mode, the drain valve 12 was held until the water level in the water storage tank 10 dropped to a predetermined water level WL1 that is lower than the predetermined water level WL2. For this reason, the second volume of flush water discharged from the water storage tank 10 in the small flush mode is less than the first volume of flush water discharged in the large flush mode.

[0086] On the other hand, because the float switch 42 is still in the off state, the first control valve 16 remains open, and water continues to be supplied to the water storage tank 10. With the drain valve 12 closed, flush water flows into the water storage tank 10, causing the water level in the water storage tank 10 to rise.

[0087] Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 15, when the water level in the water storage tank 10 rises to a predetermined full water level WL, the float switch 42 turns on and the pilot valve 16e on the float switch side is closed. As a result, both the pilot valve 16e on the float switch side and the pilot valve 16d on the solenoid valve side are closed, so the main valve body 16a of the first control valve 16 is closed and water supply is stopped. When the water supply to the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 14 is stopped, the piston 14b of the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 14 is pushed down, and the rod 32 is lowered at the same time. As a result, the clutch mechanism 30 is connected (see lines (e) to (h) in Fig. 3), and the toilet returns to the standby state before the toilet flush was started (the state in Fig. 2).

[0088] According to the flush water tank device 4 of the first embodiment of the present invention described above, the drain valve 12 and the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 14 are connected by the clutch mechanism 30 and are disconnected at a predetermined lift height of the drain valve 12, so that the drain valve 12 can be moved regardless of the operating speed of the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 14, and the drain valve 12 can be closed. As a result, even if there is variation in the operating speed of the drain valve hydraulic drive unit when lowering the drain valve, it is possible to control the timing at which the drain valve is closed without being influenced by the variation. Also, the adjustment mechanism 58 is formed so that, when the second flush water volume is selected by the remote control device 6, the clutch mechanism 30 is disconnected at a lift height of the drain valve 12 at which the drain valve 12, which is lowered by disconnecting the clutch mechanism 30, is held by the second float device 28. As a result, the second flush water volume can be stably discharged into the flush toilet by the second float device 28. Therefore, according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the first and second flush water volumes can be set while using the clutch mechanism 30.

[0089] Furthermore, according to the flush water tank apparatus 4 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the adjustment mechanism 58 is formed so that, when the second flush water volume is selected by the remote control device 6, the clutch mechanism 30 is disengaged when the engagement portion of the drain valve 12 with the first float device 26 and the second float device 28 is at a height position between the first height position L1 and the second height position L2. This allows the second float device 28 to stably discharge the second flush water volume into the flush toilet. Also, even if an event occurs in which the clutch mechanism 30 cannot be disengaged when the engagement portion of the drain valve 12 with the first float device 26 and the second float device 28 is at a height position between the first height position L1 and the second height position L2 when the second flush water volume is selected by the remote control device 6, and the drain valve 12 is raised higher, the engagement portion of the drain valve 12 can engage with the first float device 26 in the held state, and the first flush water volume, which is greater than the second flush water volume, can be discharged into the flush toilet. This makes it possible to prevent improper flushing of the flush toilet.

[0090] Furthermore, according to the flush water tank apparatus 4 of the first embodiment of the present invention, the adjustment mechanism 58 is equipped with a rod member 62 that is movable laterally, and the clutch mechanism 30 is disengaged when the rod member 62 of the adjustment mechanism 58 comes into contact with the clutch mechanism 30. As a result, compared to, for example, a configuration in which flush water discharged by the adjustment mechanism 58 is caused to collide with the clutch mechanism 30, the rod member 62 physically comes into contact with the clutch mechanism 30, making it possible to more reliably disengage the clutch mechanism 30.

[0091] Furthermore, with flush water tank apparatus 4 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the direction in which rod member 62 of adjustment mechanism 58 moves is different from the direction in which clutch mechanism 30 is disengaged and separated. This allows clutch mechanism 30 to be disengaged more reliably than if the direction in which rod member 62 moves and the direction in which clutch mechanism 30 is disengaged and separated were the same.

[0092] Furthermore, according to the flush water tank apparatus 4 of the first embodiment of the present invention, the clutch mechanism 30 reaches the rod member 62 which has reached the disconnection position while being pulled up, so that the clutch mechanism 30 can be disconnected while being pulled up, in the same way as when the first flush water volume is selected and the drain valve 12 is disconnected at a predetermined raised height, thereby enabling the clutch mechanism 30 to be disconnected more reliably.

[0093] Furthermore, according to the flush water tank apparatus 4 of the first embodiment of the present invention, the rod member 62 of the adjustment mechanism 58 remains in the disconnected position for a predetermined period of time even after the drain valve 12 reaches the raised height at which the clutch mechanism 30 is disconnected, thereby further increasing the reliability of disconnecting the clutch mechanism 30.

[0094] Furthermore, according to the flush water tank device 4 of the first embodiment of the present invention, the adjustment mechanism 58 is formed so as to move the rod member 62 by the supplied flush water, so that the clutch mechanism 30 can be disconnected using a compact and simple structure by utilizing the supply of flush water.

[0095] Furthermore, a flush toilet device 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention is provided with a plurality of flushing modes with different amounts of flush water, and is characterized by having a flush toilet main body 2, and a flush water tank device 4 which supplies flush water to this flush toilet main body 2.

[0096] Although the first embodiment of the present invention has been described above, various modifications can be made to the first embodiment described above. For example, in the first embodiment described above, the adjustment mechanism 58 is formed by a piston cylinder, but the adjustment mechanism 58 may be formed by a discharge part that discharges water. This discharge part is provided at the end of the water supply passage 50 and is arranged below the bottom surface of the drain valve hydraulic drive part 14 and toward the valve shaft 12a side. When flush water discharged from the discharge part hits the hook member 30b of the clutch mechanism 30, the hook member 30b is rotated and the clutch mechanism 30 is disconnected. Therefore, when the hook member 30b of the clutch mechanism 30 hits the water flow at a position lower than the bottom surface of the drain valve hydraulic drive part 14, the clutch mechanism 30 is disconnected and the drain valve can be lowered. As a result, the clutch mechanism 30 can be disconnected at a raised height of the drain valve 12 such that the drain valve 12 is held by the second float device 28 in the holding state.

[0097] Also, for example, in this embodiment, the adjustment mechanism 58 is formed by a piston cylinder, but the adjustment mechanism 58 may be provided with a discharge part provided at the end of the water supply passage 50, a water reservoir part for receiving flush water discharged from the discharge part, and a rod member that is pushed by the water reservoir part to move laterally when the water reservoir part descends due to the weight of the stored flush water. Such a water reservoir part is formed with a discharge hole for gradually discharging flush water, and a spring is connected to raise the water reservoir part to a standby position when the water reservoir part becomes empty. By discharging flush water from the discharge part to the water reservoir part, lowering the water reservoir part, and extending the T-shaped part of the rod part below the bottom surface of the drain valve hydraulic drive part 14, the clutch mechanism 30 is disconnected early by the rod part. More specifically, the plate of the T-shaped part of the rod part hits the hook member 30b below the bottom surface of the drain valve hydraulic drive part 14, the hook member 30b is rotated, and the clutch mechanism 30 is disconnected. As a result, the clutch mechanism 30 can be disengaged at a raised height of the drain valve 12 such that the drain valve 12 is held by the second float device 28 in the held state.

[0098] Also, for example, in this embodiment, the adjustment mechanism 58 is formed by a piston cylinder, but as a modified example, the adjustment mechanism 58 may include a discharge part provided at the end of the water supply passage 50, a water reservoir part that receives flush water discharged from the discharge part, a float arranged in the water reservoir part, a seesaw-type force transmission device, and a rod member that is pushed by the float-side end of the force transmission device and moves laterally when the end of the force transmission device descends. Such a water reservoir part and the float in the water reservoir part are provided above the full water level WL. With such a water reservoir part, flush water is not stored in the water reservoir part in the standby state, and when the discharge part supplies flush water to the water reservoir part, the float rises and one end of the force transmission device connected to the float is raised. The force transmission device is a seesaw-type force transmission device, and a rotation central axis is provided at the center of the force transmission device, and when one end of the force transmission device rises, the other end of the force transmission device descends like a seesaw, and the descending other end pushes the rod member laterally. In order to push the rod member laterally, the other end of the force transmission device forms a slope that faces diagonally downward. The rod member has a T-shaped portion at the tip side, and is configured so that the clutch mechanism 30 can be disconnected early by the rod member by extending the T-shaped portion of the rod member below the bottom surface of the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 14. Therefore, as the float rises, the rod member moves toward the valve shaft 12a on the opposite side of the seesaw-shaped force transmission device, acting on the clutch mechanism 30 and disconnecting the clutch mechanism 30 early. More specifically, the plate of the T-shaped portion of the rod member hits the hook member 30b below the bottom surface of the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 14, causing the hook member 30b to rotate and disconnect the clutch mechanism 30. As a result, the clutch mechanism 30 can be disconnected at a lifted height of the drain valve 12 such that the drain valve 12 is held by the second float device 28 in the holding state.

[0099] Next, a flush toilet device according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The flush toilet apparatus 1 of the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment described above in that the clutch mechanism 130 is disposed outside the drain valve casing 113. Here, only the points in which the second embodiment of the present invention differs from the first embodiment will be explained, and similar parts will be given the same reference symbols in the drawings and explanations will be omitted. Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view showing the schematic configuration of a flush water tank apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0100] As shown in FIG. 16, a flush water tank apparatus 104 according to the second embodiment of the invention is provided in a flush toilet apparatus 1 (see FIG. 1), similar to the first embodiment of the invention.

[0101] The flush water tank apparatus 104 supplies flush water to the flush toilet main body 2. The flush water tank apparatus 104 has a drain valve water pressure drive section 114 that drives the drain valve 12.

[0102] The flush water tank device 104 has a clutch mechanism 130 that lowers the drain valve 12 when disconnected, and this clutch mechanism 130 connects the drain valve 12 to the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 114, and lifts the drain valve 12 by the driving force of the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 114.

[0103] The drain valve 12 is a valve body arranged to open and close the drain outlet 10a, and supplies and stops flush water to the flush toilet body 2. The drain valve 12 is raised by the driving force of the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 114, and when it is raised to a predetermined raised height, the clutch mechanism 130 is disconnected and it descends under its own weight. The drain valve 12 is arranged inside the drain valve casing 113. The drain valve casing 113 is formed to cover the upper and outer circumferential sides of the drain valve 12. The drain valve casing 113 is formed in a cylindrical shape that covers the upper part of the drain valve 12. The drain valve casing 113 is formed from underwater below the full water level WL of flush water to air above the full water level WL. The drain valve casing 113 is fixed to the floor surface of the water storage tank 10 at its base. The drain valve casing 113 is not fixed to the drain valve hydraulic drive part 114 , and is provided inside the water tank 10 independently of the drain valve hydraulic drive part 114 .

[0104] The drain valve hydraulic drive unit 114 is configured to drive the drain valve 12 using the water supply pressure of flush water supplied from the waterworks. Specifically, the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 114 has a cylinder 14a into which water supplied from the first control valve 16 flows, a piston 14b slidably arranged within the cylinder 14a, and a rod 132 that protrudes from one end of the cylinder 14a and drives the drain valve 12. The drain valve hydraulic drive unit 114 is a horizontally placed drain valve hydraulic drive unit that drives the piston 14b and the rod 132 sideways. The drain valve hydraulic drive unit 114 is arranged apart from the drain valve casing 113 outside the drain valve casing 113 inside which the drain valve 12 is arranged.

[0105] Furthermore, a spring 14c is disposed inside the cylinder 14a, and biases the piston 14b laterally toward a first end 14g on the drain valve 12 side. A packing 14e is attached to the piston 14b, and watertightness is ensured between the inner wall surface of the cylinder 14a and the piston 14b. Furthermore, a clutch mechanism 130 is provided at the other end of the rod 132, and this clutch mechanism 130 couples / disconnects the rod 132 and a connecting member 170 connected to the valve shaft 12a of the drain valve 12.

[0106] The cylinder 14a is a cylindrical member, and is arranged so that its axis is oriented sideways, for example, horizontally, and receives the piston 14b inside so that it can slide sideways. A drive water supply passage 34a is connected to a first end 14g of the cylinder 14a on the drain valve 12 side, so that flush water flowing out from the first control valve 16 flows into the cylinder 14a. Therefore, the piston 14b in the cylinder 14a is driven sideways from the first end 14g to the second end 14h against the biasing force of the spring 14c by the flush water that has flowed into the cylinder 14a.

[0107] On the other hand, an outflow hole is provided at the bottom of the cylinder 14a, and the drive unit drainage channel 34b communicates with the inside of the cylinder 14a through this outflow hole. Therefore, when washing water flows into the cylinder 14a from the drive unit water supply channel 34a connected to the cylinder 14a, the piston 14b is pushed from the first end 14g side portion of the cylinder 14a, which is the first position, toward the second end 14h. The piston 14b is driven by the pressure of the washing water that has flowed into the cylinder. Then, when the piston 14b is pushed to the second position, which is closer to the second end 14h than the outflow hole, the water that has flowed into the cylinder 14a flows out from the outflow hole through the drive unit drainage channel 34b. That is, when the piston 14b is moved to the second position, the drive unit water supply channel 34a and the drive unit drainage channel 34b are communicated through the inside of the cylinder 14a. The drive drain 34b extending from the cylinder 14a is configured to direct water into the water tank 10, and the other is configured to direct water into the overflow pipe 10b.

[0108] The rod 132 is a rod-shaped member connected to the side of the piston 14b on the drain valve 12 side, and extends through a through hole 14f formed in the side of the cylinder 14a so as to protrude laterally from within the cylinder 14a. The rod 132 is connected to the piston 14b inside the cylinder 14a, and is also connected to the clutch mechanism 130 outside the cylinder 14a. A gap 14d is provided between the rod 132 protruding from the side of the cylinder 14a and the inner wall of the through hole 14f of the cylinder 14a, and a portion of the flush water that flows into the cylinder 14a flows out from this gap 14d. The water that flows out from the gap 14d flows into the water storage tank 10. Furthermore, because this gap 14d is relatively narrow and has a large flow resistance, even if water flows out from the gap 14d, the pressure inside the cylinder 14a increases due to the cleaning water flowing into the cylinder 14a from the drive unit water supply passage 34a, and the piston 14b is pushed toward the second end 14h against the biasing force of the spring 14c.

[0109] The first control valve 16 is configured to control the water supply to the drain valve water pressure drive unit 114 based on the operation of the solenoid valve 18, and also to control the start and stop of water supply to the water storage tank 10 via the drive unit drain passage 34b.

[0110] The float switch 42 is disposed in the water storage tank 10 and is configured to stop the water supply from the first control valve 16 to the drain valve water pressure drive unit 114 when the water level in the water storage tank 10 rises to the full water level WL.

[0111] Next, the second control valve 22 is configured to control the start and stop of water supply to an adjustment mechanism 158 (described later) based on the operation of the solenoid valve 24.

[0112] Next, the configuration and operation of the clutch mechanism 130 will be described with reference to FIG. The clutch mechanism 130 in the second embodiment has substantially the same structure and operating principle as the clutch mechanism 30 in the first embodiment. The clutch mechanism 130 in the second embodiment is a horizontal clutch mechanism provided horizontally at the end of a horizontally extending rod 132, whereas the clutch mechanism 30 in the first embodiment is a vertical clutch mechanism provided vertically at the end of a vertically extending rod 32. The clutch mechanism 130 in the second embodiment has substantially the same structure as the clutch mechanism 30 in the first embodiment, except that it is attached horizontally and moved horizontally, so a description of the common parts will be omitted and mainly the different parts will be described.

[0113] The clutch mechanism 130 is provided at the end of the rod 132 extending laterally from the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 114, and is configured to connect / disconnect the drain valve side end of the rod 132 and the upstream end of the connection member 170. The clutch mechanism 130 is moved laterally to form a lateral clutch mechanism that connects / disconnects laterally with the clutch mechanism connection part 172 that is aligned laterally with the rod 132. More specifically, the clutch mechanism 130 is formed to laterally disconnect the rod 132 and the clutch mechanism connection part 172 from each other or laterally engage the rod 232 and the clutch mechanism connection part 272 with each other by the movement of a hook member 130b described later. The clutch mechanism 130 is provided at approximately the same height as the rod 132.

[0114] The clutch mechanism 230 has a rotating shaft 130a attached to the lower end of the rod 232, a hook member 130b supported by this rotating shaft 130a, an engagement claw 30c provided at the end of a clutch mechanism connecting part 272 (described later) on the clutch mechanism side, and a stop plate 130f that defines the upper limit of the lifted position of the clutch mechanism 230. With this structure, the clutch mechanism 230 is disconnected at a predetermined timing and to a predetermined lifted height (lifted height of the drain valve 12), causing the drain valve 12 to descend.

[0115] The hook member 130b is formed so as to spread upward from the rotating shaft 130a in a V-shape. The portion of the hook member 130b that extends from the rotating shaft 130a toward the drain valve hydraulic drive unit forms the drain valve hydraulic drive unit side end 130e of the hook member 130b, and the drain valve hydraulic drive unit side end 130e of the hook member 130b is formed to a length and position such that it does not come into contact with the bottom surface of the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 214 even when the piston 14b is in the most elevated state (pushed forward state). The portion of the hook member 130b that extends toward the drain valve side from the rotating shaft 130a forms a hook portion 130d of the hook member 130b that extends diagonally upward as a V-shape and then returns toward the clutch mechanism connecting portion 272. The engaging claw 30c is a plate-shaped claw. The bottom side of the engaging claw 30c is formed to face vertically. The stop plate 130f is formed so that the stop plate 130f abuts against the bottom surface of the drain valve hydraulic drive part 214 before the drain valve hydraulic drive part side end part 130e of the connected hook member 130b abuts against the bottom surface of the drain valve hydraulic drive part 214, thereby stopping the lifting of the drain valve 12, etc.

[0116] 16, the drain valve 12 is seated on the drain port 10a, and the drain port 10a is closed. In this state, the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 114 and the drain valve 12 are connected, and in this connected state, the hook portion 130d of the hook member 130b is engaged with the bottom side of the engagement claw 30c, and the drain valve 12 can be pulled up by the rod 132.

[0117] The clutch mechanism 130 is disposed at a position between the drain valve water pressure drive unit 114 and the drain valve casing 113 (or the drain valve 12) on the drain valve water pressure drive unit 114 side. For example, in the standby state, the clutch mechanism 130 is disposed at a position on the drain valve water pressure drive unit 114 side from a halfway position of the length of the rod 132 and the connecting member 170 from the drain valve water pressure drive unit 114 to the drain valve casing 113 (or the drain valve 12). The clutch mechanism 130 is disposed at a position on the drain valve water pressure drive unit 114 side from an end of the flexible member 174 formed by a wire on the drain valve water pressure drive unit side. Furthermore, the clutch mechanism 130 is disposed at a position on the drain valve water pressure drive unit 114 side from an end of the clutch mechanism connecting portion 172 on the drain valve water pressure drive unit side.

[0118] Since the clutch mechanism 130 is disposed at a position between the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 114 and the drain valve casing 113 (or the drain valve 12) on the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 114 side, the degree of freedom in setting the position at which the clutch mechanism 130 is disconnected, the degree of freedom in the position of the clutch mechanism 130, and the degree of freedom in the structure of the clutch mechanism 130 can be improved compared to the case where the clutch mechanism 130 is disposed at a position on the drain valve casing 113 side closer to the water surface. In addition, the degree of freedom in the position of the adjustment mechanism 158 that disconnects the clutch mechanism 130, and the degree of freedom in the structure of the adjustment mechanism 158 can be improved. In addition, the distance between the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 114 and the clutch mechanism 130 in the standby state is shorter than the distance between the drain valve casing 113 (or the drain valve 12) and the clutch mechanism 130 in the standby state. In addition, the difference in height between the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 114 and the clutch mechanism 130 in the standby state is shorter than the difference in height between the drain valve casing 113 (or the drain valve 12) and the clutch mechanism 130 in the standby state.

[0119] The connecting member 170 connects the clutch mechanism 130 and the valve shaft 12a. The connecting member 170 is longer than the rod 132. The connecting member 170 includes a clutch mechanism connecting portion 172 connected to the clutch mechanism 130, and a flexible member 174 formed of a wire connecting the clutch mechanism connecting portion 172 and the valve shaft 12a. The clutch mechanism connecting portion 172 extends along the same axis as the rod 132. The clutch mechanism connecting portion 172 is formed in a rod shape having rigidity. The clutch mechanism connecting portion 172 forms an engagement claw 30c.

[0120] The flexible member 174 is disposed in a tube 176 extending from the drain valve casing 113. The flexible member 174 is deformable to conform to the shape of the tube 176. The flexible member 174 is disposed to be curved to conform to the shape of the curved tube 176. When one end of the flexible member 174 is moved by a certain amount, the other end is moved by a similarly certain amount. In this manner, the flexible member 174 transmits a lifting action from one end or a pull-down action from the other end as a lifting action of the other end or a pull-down action of the one end. The flexible member 174 can connect the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 114 and the drain valve 12 regardless of their positions, and can transmit a lifting action or the like. This allows the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 114 and the drain valve 12 to be disposed in more flexible positions. The flexible member 174 may be formed by other connecting members such as a chain or a ball chain.

[0121] Since the first float device 26 and the second float device 28 in the second embodiment are the same as the first float device 26 and the second float device 28 in the first embodiment, their structures and operations, etc. shall refer to Figures 2 and 4, etc., and explanations thereof shall be omitted.

[0122] Next, the adjustment mechanism for the flush water tank assembly will be described with reference to FIG. The flush water tank apparatus 104 further includes an adjustment mechanism 158 that adjusts the lift height of the drain valve 12 at which the clutch mechanism 30 is disconnected. The adjustment mechanism 158 in the second embodiment is arranged in a different position from the adjustment mechanism 58 in the first embodiment. However, the adjustment mechanism 158 in the second embodiment has substantially the same structure and operating principle as the adjustment mechanism 58 in the first embodiment, so a description of these will be omitted.

[0123] Adjustment mechanism 158 is formed so that, when a second flush water volume is selected by remote control device 6, clutch mechanism 130 is disengaged at a raised height of drain valve 12 at which drain valve 12, which is lowered by disengaging clutch mechanism 130, is held by second float device 28 in the held state. As shown in Fig. 4(b), adjustment mechanism 158 is formed so that, when a second flush water volume is selected by remote control device 6, clutch mechanism 30 is disengaged when holding claws 12b and 12c, which are engagement parts for first float device 26 and second float device 28 of drain valve 12, are at a height position between first height position L1 and second height position L2.

[0124] The adjustment mechanism 158 includes a cylinder portion 160 forming a piston cylinder that slides a piston in the vertical direction, a pressure chamber 158a into which water supplied from the water supply passage 50 flows, an elastic membrane 158b that is a drive portion driven by the water supply pressure of the water that flows into the pressure chamber 158a, a rod member 162 that is driven by the elastic membrane 158b and applies an operating force to the clutch mechanism 30, extends vertically from the cylinder portion 160, and is vertically movable, and a spring 164 that is disposed in the cylinder portion 160 and biases the rod member 162 to a standby state by a repulsive force. The cylinder portion 160, the pressure chamber 158a, the elastic membrane 158b, the rod member 162, and the spring 164 have the same structures as the cylinder portion 60, the pressure chamber 58a, the elastic membrane 58b, the rod member 62, and the spring 64 in the first embodiment, except that the orientation of the arrangement is different, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted. The adjustment mechanism 158 forms a vertical-type adjustment mechanism in which the rod member 162 is driven vertically. The adjustment mechanism 158 has a function of adjusting the position at which the clutch mechanism 130 is disengaged. For example, the adjustment mechanism 158 has a function of stopping the movement of the upper end of the hook member 30b by the T-shaped portion of the rod member 162 and rotating the hook member 30b. In addition, when the rod member 162 is in a raised state such as a standby state, the adjustment mechanism 158 has a function of moving the hook member 30b so as to pass under the rod member 162, stopping the movement of the upper end of the hook member 30b by the bottom surface of the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 14, and rotating the hook member 30b.

[0125] The cylinder portion 160 is disposed at a position above the drain valve hydraulic drive portion 114 and above the rod 132 .

[0126] The pressure chamber 158a is formed to have a volume smaller than the volume of the cylinder 14a of the drain valve water pressure drive unit 14. This makes it possible to drive the rod member 162 by simply supplying a small amount of tap water to the pressure chamber 158a, thereby making it possible to increase the responsiveness of the adjustment mechanism 158.

[0127] In addition, an outflow hole (not shown) is provided at the bottom of the pressure chamber 158a, and the water that flows into the pressure chamber 158a flows out from this outflow hole into the water tank 10. Since this outflow hole is relatively narrow and has a large flow resistance, the pressure in the pressure chamber 158a increases due to the water flowing in from the second control valve 22, even if water flows out from the outflow hole.

[0128] Elastic membrane 158b is formed of a diaphragm or the like, and is configured to elastically deform based on the water supply pressure of water that has flowed into pressure chamber 158a, thereby driving rod member 162. This eliminates the need to provide a sliding seal for the piston, and makes it possible to eliminate the sliding resistance of the piston, compared to the case where rod member 162 is driven by sliding a piston within pressure chamber 158a.

[0129] The rod member 162 has a base end connected to the elastic membrane 158b and a tip end extending vertically toward the clutch mechanism 130. The rod member 162 is formed so as to move vertically toward the rod 132 on the upper side than the rod 132. The rod member 162 has a base end attached to the elastic membrane 158b and protrudes vertically toward the clutch mechanism 130 from the housing that constitutes the pressure chamber 158a, but there is no need to provide an axial seal between the housing that constitutes the pressure chamber 158a and the axial rod of the rod member 162. This makes it possible to eliminate sliding resistance due to the axial seal between the housing of the pressure chamber 158a and the rod member 162.

[0130] The elastic membrane 158b is deformed by the pressure rise in the pressure chamber 158a, and the rod member 162 is protruded toward the clutch mechanism 130. When water stops flowing in from the second control valve 22, water flows out from the outflow hole, and the pressure in the pressure chamber 158a drops. When the pressure in the pressure chamber 158a drops, the deformation of the elastic membrane 158b returns to its original state, and the rod member 162 moves toward the pressure chamber 158a. As described below, the rod member 162 is protruded toward the clutch mechanism 130, which is a drain valve holding mechanism, and the engagement between the valve shaft 12a of the drain valve 12 and the first rod member 132 by the clutch mechanism 130 is released early. In addition, the vertical direction in which the rod member 162 protrudes intersects with the horizontal direction in which the first rod member 132 is pulled up. This ensures that the engagement between the first rod member 132 and the valve shaft 12a of the drain valve 12 by the clutch mechanism 130 can be released reliably.

[0131] The rod member 162 has a T-shaped tip, and a first end 62a of the T-shape is disposed near the first end 14g of the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 114. A second end 62b of the T-shape is provided on the clutch mechanism 130 side. When the rod member 162 of the adjustment mechanism 158 abuts against the clutch mechanism 130, the clutch mechanism 130 is disengaged. More specifically, the T-shaped portion of the rod member 162 is formed in a flat plate shape extending laterally, and the upper end of the hook member 30b of the clutch mechanism 130 abuts against the second end 62b of the T-shape, allowing the clutch mechanism 30 to be disengaged early. When the clutch mechanism 130 abuts against the second end 62b, the first end 62a abuts against the bottom surface of the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 114. Therefore, when the clutch mechanism 130 abuts against the second end 62b of the rod member 162, the clutch mechanism 130 can be stably disengaged. In addition, the movement direction D1 (direction perpendicular to the rod 132) in which the rod member 162 moves and the separation direction D2 (direction parallel to the rod 132) in which the clutch mechanism 30 is disengaged and separated are different directions and form an angle of approximately 90 degrees.

[0132] The spring 164 is arranged on the T-shaped portion side within the cylinder portion 160, and a decrease in the supply of cleaning water into the cylinder portion 160 moves the rod member 162 toward the inside of the cylinder portion 160 (retracts the rod member 162 toward the cylinder portion 160). Incidentally, the adjustment mechanism 158 is not limited to a water-supply type adjustment mechanism in which the rod member 162 and the like are driven by flush water supplied to the cylinder portion 160 as described above, but may be an electrically driven adjustment mechanism in which the rod member 162 is driven by an electrically driven drive portion without the cylinder portion 160. In this case, the drive timing of the electrically driven adjustment mechanism is controlled by the controller 40 so as to realize the function of the flush water tank device 104 described below.

[0133] Next, the operation of a flush water tank apparatus 104 according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and a flush toilet apparatus 1 equipped with it, will be described with reference to FIG. First, in the toilet flush standby state shown in Figure 16, the water level in the water storage tank 10 is at a predetermined full water level WL, and in this state, the first control valve 16 and the second control valve 22 are both closed. Also, the first holding mechanism 46 and the second holding mechanism 48 are in the holding state shown by the solid line in column (a) of Figure 4. Here, the operation of the flush water tank apparatus 104 according to the second embodiment, and the flush toilet apparatus 1 equipped with it, is basically similar to the operation of the flush water tank apparatus 4 and flush toilet apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment, so an explanation of similar parts will be omitted and the operation of the different parts will be explained.

[0134] Next, the operation of the large-flush mode will be described with reference to FIG. When a command signal to perform a large flush is received, the controller 40 actuates the solenoid valve 18 provided in the first control valve 16, and causes the pilot valve 16d on the solenoid valve side to unseat from the pilot valve port. When the first control valve 16 is opened, flush water flowing in from the water supply pipe 38 is supplied to the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 114 via the first control valve 16. This pushes up the piston 14b of the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 114, which pulls up the connecting member 170 via the rod 132, and flush water in the water storage tank 10 is discharged from the drain port 10a to the flush toilet body 2.

[0135] When the drain valve 12 is further raised, the clutch mechanism 130 is moved sideways toward the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 114, and the clutch mechanism 130 is disengaged. That is, when the drain valve 12 reaches a predetermined height, one end of the hook member 30b of the clutch mechanism 130 is moved sideways and comes into contact with the bottom surface of the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 114, causing the hook member 30b to rotate, and the clutch mechanism 130 is disengaged (see FIG. 3, column (b) to column (c), etc.). At this time, the retaining claw 12b of the drain valve 12 is raised to a position higher than the engaging member 46c of the first retaining mechanism 46.

[0136] When the clutch mechanism 130 is disconnected, the drain valve 12 begins to descend toward the drain outlet 10a due to its own weight. The retaining claw 12b of the descending drain valve 12 engages with the engaging member 46c of the first retaining mechanism 46, and the drain valve 12 is held at a predetermined height by the first retaining mechanism 46. As the drain valve 12 is held by the first retaining mechanism 46, the drain outlet 10a is maintained in an open state, and flush water in the water storage tank 10 is maintained being discharged into the flush toilet body 2. Thereafter, in the second embodiment as in the first embodiment, the drain valve 12 is again lowered, and the clutch mechanism 130 is connected (see rows (e) to (h) in FIG. 3, etc.), and the drain valve 12 returns to the standby state before the toilet flush was started.

[0137] Next, the operation of the small-wash mode will be described with reference to FIG. The standby state for toilet flushing is the same as in the large flush mode. When a command signal to perform a small flush is received, the controller 40 actuates the solenoid valve 18 provided in the first control valve 16, causing the first control valve 16 to open. Meanwhile, the controller 40 actuates the solenoid valve 24 provided in the second control valve 22, opening the pilot valve 22c, and supplying flush water to the water supply passage 50 extending from the second control valve 22. Thus, flush water is supplied from the water supply passage 50 to the adjustment mechanism 158.

[0138] When the first control valve 16 is opened, flush water flowing in from the water supply pipe 38 is supplied to the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 114 via the first control valve 16. This causes the piston 114b of the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 114 to be pushed up (moved sideways), the connecting member 170 to be pulled up via the rod 132, the drain valve 12 to be pulled up, and the flush water in the water storage tank 10 to be discharged from the drain port 10a to the flush toilet main body 2.

[0139] As flush water is supplied from the water supply passage 50 into the cylinder portion 160, the rod member 162 of the adjustment mechanism 158 is moved vertically downward toward the rod 132 by water pressure. The T-shaped portion of the rod member 162 is disposed on the front side in the moving direction of the clutch mechanism 130. The rod member 162 of the adjustment mechanism 158 is moved to a disconnection position where the clutch mechanism 130 is disconnected before it reaches a lifting position (lifting height of the drain valve 12) where the clutch mechanism 130 is disconnected by the bottom surface of the drain valve water pressure drive portion 114. Thus, the tip of the hook member 30b of the clutch mechanism 130 moving laterally hits the second end 62b of the T-shape, and the hook member 30b is rotated to disconnect the clutch mechanism 30. The rod member 162 remains in the disconnection position for a predetermined time even after it reaches the disconnection position where the clutch mechanism 30 is disconnected.

[0140] As shown in Fig. 16 and section (b) of Fig. 4, when the second flush water volume is selected by the remote control device 6, the clutch mechanism 130 is disengaged by the adjustment mechanism 158 when the holding claws 12b and 12c of the drain valve 12 are at a height position between the first height position L1 and the second height position L2. When the clutch mechanism 130 is disengaged, the drain valve 12 begins to descend toward the drain port 10a due to its own weight. Here, in the second embodiment, as in the first embodiment, as shown in Fig. 12, the holding claws 12c of the descending drain valve 12 engage with the engagement member 48c of the second holding mechanism 48, and the drain valve 12 is held at a predetermined height by the second holding mechanism 48.

[0141] After a sufficient amount of time has passed for the clutch mechanism 130 to be disengaged, the controller 40 sends a signal to the solenoid valve 24 (FIG. 16) at a predetermined timing to close the second control valve 22. This stops the supply of flush water to the adjustment mechanism 158. As a result, the water pressure of the flush water in the cylinder portion 160 decreases, and the rod member 162 is pulled back towards the cylinder portion 160 by the spring 164. After this, operation of the small-flush mode in the second embodiment is substantially the same as operation of the small-flush mode in the first embodiment, so a description thereof will be omitted.

[0142] Furthermore, when the water level in the water tank 10 rises to a predetermined full water level WL and the water supply to the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 114 is stopped, the piston 14b of the drain valve hydraulic drive unit 114 is pushed down towards the first end 14g, and at the same time, the rod 132 is moved towards the drain valve 12. This connects the clutch mechanism 130 (see lines (e) to (h) in FIG. 3), and the toilet returns to the standby state before the toilet flush was started (the state in FIG. 16).

[0143] Although the second embodiment has been illustrated above, the structure of the first embodiment, the structure of the second embodiment, and the structures of the modified examples can be entirely or partially rearranged or extracted as desired for modification.

[0144] According to flush water tank apparatus 104 according to the second embodiment of the present invention described above, drain valve water pressure drive unit 114 is arranged at a distance from drain valve casing 113 on the outside of drain valve casing 113, which has drain valve 12 arranged inside, and clutch mechanism 130 is arranged at a position on the drain valve water pressure drive unit side between drain valve casing 114 and drain valve casing 113. This allows clutch mechanism 130 to be arranged at a position on the drain valve water pressure drive unit side between drain valve casing 113 and drain valve water pressure drive unit 114, improving the degree of freedom in setting the position at which clutch mechanism 130 is disconnected and the degree of freedom in the position at which clutch mechanism 130 is arranged. [Explanation of symbols]

[0145] 1 Flush toilet device 2 Flush toilet body 4. Cleaning water tank device 6 Remote control device 10. Water Tank 10a Drain port 12 Drain valve 14 Drain valve hydraulic drive unit 26 No. 1 Float Device 26a 1st float 28 Second Float Device 28a 2nd float 30 Clutch mechanism 32 Rod 58 Adjustment mechanism 62 Rod member

Claims

1. A flush water tank device that supplies flush water to a flush toilet, a water storage tank for storing flush water to be supplied to the flush toilet and having a drain port for discharging the stored flush water into the flush toilet; a drain valve that opens and closes the drain outlet and starts and stops the supply of flush water to the flush toilet; a drain valve water pressure drive unit that drives the drain valve by utilizing the water pressure of the supplied tap water; a clutch mechanism which connects the drain valve and the drain valve hydraulic drive unit to lift the drain valve by the drive force of the drain valve hydraulic drive unit and is disconnected when the drain valve is lifted to a predetermined lift height to lower the drain valve; a flush water volume selection means capable of selecting a first flush water volume for flushing the flush toilet bowl and a second flush water volume different from the first flush water volume; a first float device that is moved according to the water level in the water storage tank, the first float device being configured to switch from a holding state that restricts the descent of the drain valve to a non-holding state that does not restrict the descent in conjunction with the water level so that the first amount of flush water is discharged; a second float device that is moved according to the water level in the water storage tank, the second float device being configured to switch from a holding state that restricts the descent of the drain valve to a non-holding state that does not restrict the descent in conjunction with the water level so that the second amount of flush water is discharged; a flush water tank apparatus comprising: an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the raised height of the drain valve at which the clutch mechanism is disengaged, the adjustment mechanism being configured so that, when the second flush water volume is selected by the flush water volume selection means, the clutch mechanism is disengaged at a raised height of the drain valve at which the drain valve, which is lowered by disengaging the clutch mechanism, is held by the second float device in a held state.

2. The second amount of cleaning water is smaller than the first amount of cleaning water, The first height position at which the first float device engages with the drain valve in the held state is: higher than a second height position where the second float device engages with the drain valve in the held state, A flush water tank apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the adjustment mechanism is configured so that, when the second flush water volume is selected by the flush water volume selection means, the clutch mechanism is disengaged when the engagement portion of the drain valve with respect to the first float device and the second float device is at a height position between the first height position and the second height position.

3. The adjustment mechanism includes a movable rod member, 3. A flush water tank apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the clutch mechanism is disengaged when the rod member of the adjustment mechanism comes into contact with the clutch mechanism.

4. 4. A flush water tank apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein the direction in which the rod member of the adjustment mechanism moves is different from the direction in which the clutch mechanism is disengaged and separated.

5. 5. A flush water tank apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the rod member of the adjustment mechanism is moved to a disengagement position at which the clutch mechanism is disengaged before the drain valve reaches a lifting height at which the clutch mechanism is disengaged.

6. 6. A flush water tank apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein the rod member of the adjustment mechanism remains in the disconnected position for a predetermined period of time even after the drain valve reaches the raised height at which the clutch mechanism is disconnected.

7. 7. A flush water tank apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the adjustment mechanism is configured to move the rod member by supplied flush water.

8. A flush water tank apparatus as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the drain valve hydraulic drive unit is arranged outside the drain valve casing, the drain valve being arranged inside, and spaced apart from the drain valve casing, and the clutch mechanism is arranged at a position on the drain valve hydraulic drive unit side between the drain valve hydraulic drive unit and the drain valve casing.

9. A flush toilet device comprising: A flush water tank device according to any one of claims 1 to 8; the flush toilet that is flushed with flush water supplied from this flush water tank device; A flush toilet device comprising:

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