Toilet arrangement

Abstract

The invention relates to a toilet arrangement, which toilet arrangement (10) comprises a gravity toilet bowl (1) provided with a water trap (11) and an outlet (12) having a diameter corresponding to a given first diameter of a gravity sewer pipe, which toilet arrangement (10) further comprises a flushing section comprising a water source (15) and a flush valve (6), which flushing section is to the gravity toilet bowl (1) by the flush valve (6) for providing flush water to the gravity toilet bowl during a flushing sequence, and an activating means (8) for activating the flushing sequence of the gravity toilet bowl, which toilet arrangement (10) further comprises a discharge valve (2), a vacuum sewer piping (3) with a given second diameter, and a vacuum unit (9) connected to the vacuum sewer piping (3) for generating vacuum in the vacuum sewer piping (3) The flush valve (6) is directly controlled by the activating means (8) and the flushing section is in a pressure ranging from 0,25 to 8 bar.

Description

[0001] Toilet arrangement

[0002] Kaymalajarjestelma

[0003] Technical field

[0004] The invention relates in general to toilets. Especially the invention relates to a toilet arrangement according to the preamble part of the independent toilet arrangement claim.

[0005] Background

[0006] Toilets used particularly in the building and housing sectors are usually so-called standard gravity toilets. Gravity systems require large diameter sewer piping, usually with a diameter of 100 mm, and require a large amount of flush water, usually between 6-10 liters, in order to ensure flushing of the sewage collected in the gravity toilet bowl and are further fixedly and permanently installed during the construction of a building. Standard gravity toilets are available in a multitude of designs, both for floor and wall mounted installations. The diameter of a standard gravity sewer piping can vary from country to country, but usually is within a range of 90 mm to 110 mm. A traditional set-up for a gravity toilet arrangement includes a gravity toilet bowl connected to a gravity sewer pipe for discharging sewage through a water trap downwards into the gravity sewer pipe based on gravity. Toilet arrangements also comprise a flush water tank with the necessary volume, typically of about 6-10 liters, for flushing water. However, some gravity toilet systems do not have a water tank, and the flushing water that cleans the bowl comes directly from the water supply. Further, toilet arrangements typically comprise a water valve and flush valve, and an activating means (typically a push button connection for activating a flushing sequence. For the flushing sequence, the flush valve of the flush water tank (or in a water line in the case of a tankless toilet system) is opened by the activating means, whereby the flush water flows into the toilet bowl by way of gravity and empties the collected sewage in the gravity toilet bowl into the gravity sewer pipe through the water trap also based on a normal gravity flow. After the flush water tank is emptied through the flush valve, the flush valve is closed and the flush water tank is filled with water through the water valve (or in the case of a tankless toilet system, the water stops flowing in the water line). The filling degree is typically controlled by a float system (not shown), which closes the water valve at a predetermined filling degree. The water trap provides a water lock between the gravity toilet bowl and the gravity sewer pipe.

[0007] So-called standard vacuum toilets are used in vehicles, e.g. ships, airplanes, trains, and also in buildings. A standard vacuum toilet arrangement usually includes a wall mounted vacuum toilet bowl. The vacuum toilet bowl is connected to vacuum sewer piping through a discharge valve. The operational components, including an activating means (typically a push button connection), a control mechanism, a water valve, a discharge valve, and appropriate vacuum connections, for operating the vacuum toilet are usually assembled inside the shell of the vacuum toilet bowl or behind the vacuum toilet bowl in a service space. Typically, the discharge valve has been arranged to be operated by a control mechanism, most commonly by a pneumatic control mechanism. It is also known from prior art to activate the flush valve and the discharge valve with electricity. A vacuum toilet bowl has a specific construction and design based on its intended use in a vacuum toilet system. In order to activate a flushing sequence of a vacuum toilet arrangement, the push button is pressed, which gives a pneumatic or electric signal to the control mechanism, which opens the discharge valve and the flush water valve, which normally is directly connected to a line of pressurized water for providing flushing water. After a timed flushing sequence, the discharge valve is closed. The control mechanism pneumatically controls the discharge valve, however a different type of control mechanism or control device can be used to control the discharge valve electronically with e.g. an actuator. After a given delay, the flush water valve is closed, whereby a small amount of water is allowed to form in the toilet bowl. The vacuum needed for operation of the vacuum toilet system is generated by a vacuum unit.

[0008] It is also known that attempts have been made to provide a combination of a gravity toilet arrangement and a vacuum sewage system, i.e. providing a gravity toilet with a vacuum sewage connection. This has been done by connecting a gravity toilet bowl, including a standard so-called gravity flushing arrangement with a large (discussed above) flush water tank, a water valve, a flush valve, an activating means, and a water trap, to a vacuum sewage system. The gravity toilet bowl deploys a gravity flushing arrangement as described above, whereby the outlet of the gravity toilet bowl is connected to a vacuum interface unit by means of the water trap, whereby the vacuum interface unit in turn is connected to vacuum sewer piping through a discharge valve. The interface unit, which functions as an intermediate collection tank, is dimensioned to receive a number of standard gravity flushes from the gravity toilet bowl, which necessitates a substantial volume. The filling degree of the vacuum interface unit, which thus functions as an intermediate waste tank, is controlled by means of an activator unit. When a predetermined filling degree of the vacuum interface unit has been reached, the activator unit activates the discharge valve for discharging the contents of the vacuum interface unit into the vacuum sewer piping. The vacuum needed for operation of the vacuum sewage connection is generated by a vacuum unit.

[0009] First of all, such an installation requires two separate systems, a gravity system and a vacuum sewage system with separate operational circuits. The combination of the known systems additionally necessitates an interface unit, i.e. an intermediate waste tank, in which sewage received from the gravity toilet bowl is collected and temporarily stored. The interface unit is closed off towards the toilet bowl by means of a water trap and towards the vacuum sewer piping by means of a vacuum discharge valve.

[0010] Secondly, the interface unit requires considerable space and thus cannot be installed for easy access, e.g. above the toilet bowl. As a consequence, the vacuum discharge valve is also not easily accessible.

[0011] Thirdly, as in a traditional gravity toilet system, the amount of flush water is large, about 6-10 liters as discussed above. This is not advantageous for a vacuum sewage system, which is designed to transport small discrete slugs of sewage with volumes of air on both sides having a rising vacuum level in a downstream direction. As a consequence, the transport efficiency of the vacuum sewage system is considerably decreased. In addition this solution also creates odor problems because the vacuum interface unit is ventilated to the atmosphere in order to discharge the vacuum interface unit into the vacuum sewer piping. In patent publication EP3417118B1 is disclosed a solution to eliminate or at least minimize the above-mentioned disadvantages and problems in a combined gravity toilet arrangement and vacuum sewage system. This toilet arrangement 10’ (figure 1 ) includes a gravity toilet bowl 1 ’ provided with a water trap 1T and an outlet 12’ having a diameter corresponding to a given first diameter of a gravity sewer pipe, which arrangement further includes a flush water tank 4’ connected to a source of water by means of a water valve 5’ and to the gravity toilet bowl T by a flush valve 6’ for providing flush water to the gravity toilet bowl during a flushing sequence, and an activating means 8’ for activating the flushing sequence of the gravity toilet bowl, which arrangement further includes a discharge valve 2’, a vacuum sewer piping 3’ with a given second diameter, and a control mechanism 7’ arranged to be activated by the activating means 8’ and connected to the vacuum sewer piping 3’, the discharge valve 2’, the water valve 5’ and the flush valve 6’, as well as a vacuum unit 9’ connected to the vacuum sewer piping 3’ for generating vacuum in the vacuum sewer piping 3’. This toilet arrangement further comprises an adapter 13’ for providing a flow connection between the outlet 12’ with the given first diameter of a gravity sewer pipe and the discharge valve 2’ with the given second diameter of the vacuum sewer piping, in which a first end of the discharge valve 2’ is directly connected by means of the adapter 13’ to the outlet 12’ of the gravity toilet bowl T and a second end of the discharge valve 2’, opposite to said first end, is directly connected to the vacuum sewer piping 3’, whereby sewage disposed in the gravity toilet bowl T is arranged to be directly discharged from the gravity toilet bowl through the water trap and the outlet provided with the adapter into the vacuum sewer piping through the discharge valve in connection with the flushing sequence. In this known arrangement the falling of the water from the water tank to the toilet bowl is by gravity, but to open the flush valve vacuum pressure is needed. Even though this type of toilet arrangement has been proven to be well functioning, it has proven complicated especially in view of the connection structure between the gravity toilet arrangement and vacuum sewage system. In this known arrangement the control mechanism had to be capable of controlling the discharge valve 2’, the water valve 5’ and the flush valve 6’, which constitutes a complicated control mechanism. Furthermore, this known arrangement needs typically several custom-made components, and therefore its manufacturing is costly and cumbersome. One object of the invention is to eliminate or at least minimize the above-mentioned disadvantages and problems in a toilet arrangement.

[0012] Especially an object of the invention is to eliminate or at least minimize the above-mentioned disadvantages and problems relating to the disadvantages and the problems relating to the complicated connection structure of between the gravity toilet arrangement and vacuum sewage system.

[0013] A particular object of the invention is to eliminate or at least minimize the above-mentioned disadvantages and problems relating to the disadvantages and the problems relating to the complicated control mechanism in the toilet arrangement.

[0014] A particular, non-binding, object of the invention is to create a toilet arrangement with possible compliance with EN1717 standard: Protection against pollution of potable water installations.

[0015] Summary

[0016] To achieve the above-mentioned objects and those which come out later, the toilet arrangement is characterized by what is presented in the characterizing part of the independent toilet arrangement claim. Advantageous features of the invention are defined in dependent claims.

[0017] According to the invention the toilet arrangement comprises a gravity toilet bowl provided with a water trap and an outlet having a diameter corresponding to a given first diameter of a gravity sewer pipe, which toilet arrangement further comprises a flushing section comprising a water source and a flush valve, which flushing section is connected to the gravity toilet bowl by the flush valve for providing flush water to the gravity toilet bowl during a flushing sequence, and an activating means for activating the flushing sequence of the gravity toilet bowl, which toilet arrangement further comprises a discharge valve, a vacuum sewer piping with a given second diameter, and a vacuum unit connected to the vacuum sewer piping for generating vacuum in the vacuum sewer piping, wherein the flush valve is directly controlled by the activating means and the flushing section is in a pressure ranging from 0,25 to 8 bar.

[0018] According to an advantageous feature of the invention the toilet arrangement comprises a control mechanism arranged to be activated by the activating means and connected to the discharge valve and in the toilet arrangement only one valve, the discharge valve is controlled by the control mechanism.

[0019] According to an advantageous feature of the invention the toilet arrangement comprises a control mechanism arranged to be activated by the activating means and connected to the vacuum sewer piping and to the discharge valve and in the toilet arrangement only one valve, the discharge valve is controlled by the control mechanism.

[0020] According to an advantageous feature of the invention branched piping is provided out of the activation means, the branched piping has two pipe branches: one pipe branch to the flush valve and the other pipe branch to the control mechanism.

[0021] According to an advantageous feature of the invention in the toilet arrangement the activating means is configured to in addition to the flush valve directly control the discharge valve.

[0022] According to an advantageous feature of the invention the flushing section of the toilet arrangement further comprises a flush water tank connected to the water source by means of a water valve.

[0023] According to an advantageous feature of the invention the flush water tank is a gravity flush water tank.

[0024] According to an advantageous feature of the invention the gravity flush water tank comprises a physical airgap located inside the gravity flush water tank and within the flow of water.

[0025] According to an advantageous feature of the invention the gravity flush water tank comprises an overflow feature, which in the case of backflow pressure or some other reason that the gravity flush water tank is being filled more than usual provides that the overflow liquid escapes to the gravity toilet bowl.

[0026] According to an advantageous feature of the invention the water valve is configured to be opened by a float such, that when the water level is rising up in the flush water tank, the water level will reach the float and close the water valve.

[0027] According to an advantageous feature of the invention the flush valve is a pneumatic flush valve. Alternatively according to an advantageous feature of the invention the flush valve is a mechanical or an electrical flush valve.

[0028] According to an advantageous feature of the invention the control mechanism is a pneumatic mechanism or an electrical mechanism or a combination of a pneumatic and an electrical mechanism.

[0029] According to an advantageous feature of the invention the activating means is configured to release air for the control mechanism and / or to activate the flush valve.

[0030] According to an advantageous feature of the invention the toilet arrangement comprises an adapter for providing a flow connection between the outlet with the given first diameter of a gravity sewer pipe and the discharge valve with the given second diameter of the vacuum sewer piping, a first end of the discharge valve is directly connected by means of the adapter to the outlet of the gravity toilet bowl and a second end of the discharge valve, opposite to said first end, is directly connected to the vacuum sewer piping, whereby sewage disposed in the gravity toilet bowl is arranged to be directly discharged from the gravity toilet bowl through the water trap and the outlet provided with the adapter into the vacuum sewer piping through the discharge valve in connection with the flushing sequence.

[0031] According to an advantageous feature of the invention in the toilet arrangement the flushing section is in pressure ranging from 0,25 to 2 bar. Advantageously, the pressure is at ambient pressure or near ambient pressure, especially in toilet arrangements that have a flush water tank. According to an advantageous feature of the invention in the toilet arrangement the flushing section is in ambient pressure.

[0032] According to an advantageous feature of the invention the activating means of the toilet arrangement and / or the discharge valve of the toilet arrangement comprises a control device or a printed circuit board configured to send and / or to receive electric signals.

[0033] It has been surprisingly noted that providing the toilet arrangement by a flush valve, the activation means (push button) can now control the flush valve directly. This means that when the activation means is pressed, the flush valve will open (by lifting the flush valve with pushed air, in case a pneumatic flush valve is used), and water is flushed from the water source, for example from a water line or from a water tank, to the gravity toilet bowl. The activation means are connected to the flush valve directly.

[0034] In the embodiment, where the toilet arrangement comprises a control mechanism, a piping connection to the activation means is added so that the piping coming out of the activation means can be split into two pipe branches: one branch to the flush valve and the other pipe branch to the control mechanism. The control mechanism is thus connected to only one valve, namely the discharge valve, i.e. not to the water valve nor to the flush valve.

[0035] According to an advantageous aspect of the invention the toilet arrangement may comprise as the water source a direct connection to a water line or a flush water tank connected to a water line by a water valve.

[0036] According to an advantageous aspect of the invention the activation means connected to the pneumatic flush valve directly provide that the water valve doesn’t need to be controlled by the control mechanism and thus, the water valve is opened by a float, i.e. when the water level is rising up in the water tank, the water level will reach the float and therefore close the water valve.

[0037] According to an advantageous aspect of the invention the activation means connected to the flush valve directly provide that the control mechanism no longer needs to control the flush valve and thus the whole flush system: the water tank and its components that allow for flushing into the toilet doesn’t need to rely on the control mechanism by which a significantly simple design in view of known arrangements is achieved. Further, the control mechanism does not need as many connections and pipes, which also provides that the arrangement is more secure in view of leakages. The control mechanism of the toilet arrangement according to the invention just needs to open the discharge valve.

[0038] According to an advantageous aspect of the invention there is no vacuum in flushing section of the toilet arrangement i.e. the flushing section is in ambient pressure, which provides for simple structure of the flushing section of the toilet arrangement.

[0039] According to an advantageous aspect of the invention in the toilet arrangement as the water tank a gravity flush tank is used, inside of which the gravity flush water tank is a physical airgap within the flow of water. This provides a safety measure since it could prevent the entry of contaminants into the water supply in the case of backflow pressure. The gravity flush tank is also provided with an overflow feature where, in the case of backflow pressure or some other reason that the flush tank is being filled more than usual, then the overflow liquid can escape from the flush tank to the toilet bowl. Thus, the toilet arrangement according to the advantageous aspect of the invention is most likely compliant with EN-1717 standard for protection against pollution of potable water installations.

[0040] According to an advantageous aspect of the invention the flush valve is a mechanical or an electrical flush valve. For example to achieve a flush valve and a control mechanism with is pneumatically activated is to provide an activating means, such as a button with a rod and an air outlet. When the button is pressed air escapes and goes through a tube to activate the control mechanism. At the same time, when the button is pressed, the rod can mechanically lift the flush valve, thus allowing water to be released and flushed into the toilet bowl. Similarly the flush valve can be lifted with electricity, e.g. switches and actuators.

[0041] According to an advantageous aspect of the invention the toilet arrangement does not comprise a control mechanism but instead the activating means is directly connected to the flush valve and the discharge valve and configured directly to control the flush valve and the discharge valve. According to this aspect of the invention, the flush valve and the discharge valve are controlled electrically by the activating means. The discharge valve and the flush valve may be operated with actuators or other components known in the art for opening and closing valves electronically. In this embodiment, there is no need for a control device or the activating means to be connected to the vacuum piping.

[0042] By the invention and its advantageous features many advantages are achieved. In this new and inventive toilet arrangement the flushing is operated directly by the activating means and advantageously only one valve is needed to be controlled by the control mechanism and the control mechanism thus needs to open and close only this one valve for discharge, which a simpler design with less components is achieved. There is no need for vacuum in the first part of the arrangement i.e. in the flushing section, which means that there is no vacuum pressure in the piping in the flushing section i.e. the piping of the flushing section is in ambient pressure. Vacuum is present only in the discharge section. Thus, the toilet arrangement can be provided with a gravity flushing tank, even a standard off-the-shelf flushing tank, which are normally used with a gravity toilet system.

[0043] Brief description of the drawings

[0044] Aspects of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of some example embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings and in the following the invention is described in more detail referring to the accompanying drawing, in which

[0045] in figure 1 is schematically shown an example of a from the prior art known toilet arrangement,

[0046] in figure 2 is schematically shown an advantageous example of a toilet arrangement according to the invention,

[0047] in figure 3 is schematically shown another advantageous example of a toilet arrangement according to the invention and in figure 4 is schematically shown yet another advantageous example of a toilet arrangement according to the invention.

[0048] Detailed description

[0049] During the course of this description corresponding numbers and signs will be used to identify corresponding elements according to the different views which illustrate the invention. Repetition of some reference signs may have been omitted in the figures for clarity reasons.

[0050] An example of a known type of toilet arrangement is discussed above in connection with prior art and shown in figure 1.

[0051] In figure 2 is shown an example of the toilet arrangement 10 according to an advantageous example of the invention. The toilet arrangement 10 includes a gravity toilet bowl 1 provided with a water trap 11 and an outlet 12 having a diameter corresponding to a given diameter of a gravity sewer pipe. The toilet arrangement 10 further includes a water source 15, a water valve 5, a flush water tank 4 and a flush valve 6, and an activating means 8 for activating a flushing sequence of the gravity toilet bowl 1.

[0052] The outlet 12 of the gravity toilet bowl 1 is provided with an adapter 13 which enables to connect the outlet 12 having a diameter corresponding to a given first diameter, usually between 90 mm to 110 mm of a standard gravity sewer pipe to a vacuum sewer piping 3 with a given second diameter, usually between 40 or 50 mm. The adapter 13 is directly connected to a vacuum sewer piping 3 by means of a discharge valve 2. In other words a first end of the discharge valve 2 is directly connected to the adapter 13 connected to the outlet 12 of the gravity toilet bowl 1 and a second end of the discharge valve 2, opposite to said first end, is directly connected to the vacuum sewer piping 3.

[0053] The direct connection indicates that there is no intermediate collecting or storage tank or other receptacle or other corresponding arrangement between the adapter 13 and the gravity toilet outlet 12. In a corresponding manner, there is no intermediate collecting or storage tank or other receptacle or other corresponding arrangement between the adapter 13 and the discharge valve 2. The adapter can include a piping section. The flow of sewage and flush water is thus directly out of the gravity toilet bowl 1 into the vacuum sewer piping 3 when the discharge valve 2 is open, i.e. normally during a discharge and flushing sequence. In other words, there is a direct connection, without any intermediate receptacle, between the first end of the discharge valve and the adapter, and a direct connection, without any intermediate receptacle, between the second end of the discharge valve, opposite the first end, and the vacuum sewer piping.

[0054] Thus, the gravity toilet bowl can be of any standard gravity toilet bowl design. In order to make the connection to a vacuum sewer piping the adapter 13 is used for providing a reduction of the diameter of the outlet of the gravity toilet bowl to the diameter of the vacuum sewer piping with the discharge valve. Normally, there is a pipe section as indicated by reference numeral 14 between the outlet 12 of the gravity toilet bowl 1 and the discharge valve 2. The adapter can be included in the pipe section between the outlet of the gravity toilet bowl and the discharge valve. Alternatively the adapter can be directly connected to the outlet of the gravity toilet bowl, whereby the pipe section 14 continues from the adapter to the discharge valve. In other words the adapter is arranged between the outlet of the gravity toilet bowl and the discharge valve, advantageously at the outlet of the gravity toilet bowl. The sewage can freely flow through the pipe section 14, if such a pipe section is deployed.

[0055] The connection between the gravity toilet bowl 1 and the vacuum sewer piping 3 is simply through the discharge valve 2, which is the standard manner of connection of a vacuum toilet to a vacuum sewer piping in a vacuum sewage system, and through the adapter, which in fact is only a part of the piping as such.

[0056] The toilet arrangement 10 is provided with a flushing section, which includes a flush water tank 4 connected to a water source 15 by means of a water valve 5. The flush water tank 4 is connected to the toilet bowl 1 by means of a flush valve 6. The flush valve 6 is controlled by an activating means 8 (typically a push button connection) for activating a flushing sequence and only one valve, the discharge valve 2, is controlled by a control mechanism 7 connected with the activating means 8 as indicated by a connection 18. The flush valve 6 is in this example pneumatic but the flush valve 6 can also be a mechanical or an electrical flush valve 6. The activation means (push button) 8 controls the pneumatic flush valve 6 directly. This means that when the activation means 8 is pressed, the pneumatic flush valve 6 will open by lifting the pneumatic flush valve with pushed air and thus, water is flushed from the flush water tank 4 to the toilet bowl 1. There is no vacuum in the flushing section of the toilet arrangement 10.

[0057] The activation means 8 are connected to the flush valve 6 directly and branched piping is provided out of the activation means 8, thus there are two pipe branches 16, 17: one pipe branch 16 to the pneumatic flush valve 6 and the other pipe branch 17 to the control mechanism 7, by which only one valve, the discharge valve 2 is controlled by the control mechanism 7.

[0058] The water valve 5 is opened by a float. When the water level is rising up in the flush water tank 4, the water level will reach the float and therefore close the water valve 5.

[0059] The flush water tank 4 is a gravity flush water tank 4, advantageously a standard gravity flush tank. Inside the gravity flush water tank 4, there is a physical airgap within the flow of water. This provides a safety measure since it could prevent the entry of contaminants into the water supply in the case of backflow pressure. The gravity flush water tank 4 has an overflow feature where, in the case of backflow pressure or some other reason that the gravity flush water tank 4 being filled more than usual, then the overflow liquid can escape to the toilet bowl 1.

[0060] The control mechanism 7 can be pneumatically of electrically governed. When the control mechanism 7 is pneumatically governed, it typically uses vacuum to operate some of the operations of the control mechanism 7. However, the control mechanism 7 can use a combination of air and electric signals to operate. The control mechanism 7 typically has at least one compartment that uses pneumatics for its operation.

[0061] In this example, the control mechanism 7 is connected to vacuum sewer piping 3 as indicated in the by a connection 19 and the control mechanism 7 is pneumatically governed using vacuum drawn from the vacuum sewer piping 3, however the control mechanism 7 can be also electrically governed and thus there may be no need for the control mechanism 7 to be connected to the vacuum sewer piping 3. In this case, the discharge valve 2 may have an additional connection to the vacuum sewer piping 3. The additional connection could be used to draw vacuum from the vacuum sewer piping 3 to open the discharge valve 2. Vacuum is generated in the vacuum sewer piping 3 by means of a vacuum unit 9.

[0062] The operation of the vacuum sewage system, comprising conducting the flushing sequence, i.e. a discharge of the gravity toilet bowl is as follows. When sewage has been disposed in the gravity toilet bowl 1 , the activating means 8 is activated (typically by pressing the push button of the push button connection), whereby the control mechanism 7 receives a pneumatic signal (displacement of air) or an electric signal from the activating means 8. The control mechanism 7 is pneumatically or electrically connected to the discharge valve 2, and thus vacuum is thus conveyed from the vacuum sewer piping 3 to the discharge valve 2. The activating means 8 open the flush valve 6 for opening this flush valve 6.

[0063] The sewage disposed in the toilet bowl 1 is directly discharged from the gravity toilet bowl 1 through the water trap 11 and the outlet 12, provided with the adapter 13, into the vacuum sewer piping 3 through the discharge valve 2 as flush water from the flush water tank 4 at the same time is flushed into the gravity toilet bowl 1 by way of gravity.

[0064] After the flushing sequence, the discharge valve 2 and the flush valve 6 are closed. The flush water 6 closes with a given delay in order to ensure that the water trap 11 is filled with water in the same manner as in connection with a standard gravity toilet system. After a predetermined delay, i.e. when the flush water tank 4 has been filled with water to a predetermined degree, the water valve 5 is closed. Thus, the system is ready for a new flushing sequence.

[0065] In figure 3 is shown an example of the toilet arrangement 10 according to an advantageous example of the invention. The toilet arrangement 10 includes a gravity toilet bowl 1, which is typically used in tankless gravity systems, provided with a water trap 11 and an outlet 12 having a diameter corresponding to a given diameter of a gravity sewer pipe. The toilet arrangement 10 further includes a water source 15 and a flush valve 6, and an activating means 8 for activating a flushing sequence of the gravity toilet bowl 1. In this flush-tankless design, the water source 15 is directly connected to the flush valve 6. Of course there may be other valves between the water source 15 and the flush valve 6 to prevent backflow, provide a safety / preventive measure, and / or to conveniently stop the water supply from flowing.

[0066] The outlet 12 of the gravity toilet bowl 1 is provided with an adapter 13 which enables to connect the outlet 12 having a diameter corresponding to a given first diameter, usually between 90 mm to 110 mm of a standard gravity sewer pipe to a vacuum sewer piping 3 with a given second diameter, usually between 40 or 50 mm. The adapter 13 is directly connected to a vacuum sewer piping 3 by means of a discharge valve 2. In other words a first end of the discharge valve 2 is directly connected to the adapter 13 connected to the outlet 12 of the gravity toilet bowl 1 and a second end of the discharge valve 2, opposite to said first end, is directly connected to the vacuum sewer piping 3.

[0067] The direct connection indicates that there is no intermediate collecting or storage tank or other receptacle or other corresponding arrangement between the adapter 13 and the gravity toilet outlet 12. In a corresponding manner, there is no intermediate collecting or storage tank or other receptacle or other corresponding arrangement between the adapter 13 and the discharge valve 2. The adapter can include a piping section. The flow of sewage and flush water is thus directly out of the gravity toilet bowl 1 into the vacuum sewer piping 3 when the discharge valve 2 is open, i.e. normally during a discharge and flushing sequence. In other words, there is a direct connection, without any intermediate receptacle, between the first end of the discharge valve and the adapter, and a direct connection, without any intermediate receptacle, between the second end of the discharge valve, opposite the first end, and the vacuum sewer piping.

[0068] Thus, the gravity toilet bowl can be of at least some standard gravity toilet bowl designs. In order to make the connection to a vacuum sewer piping the adapter 13 is used for providing a reduction of the diameter of the outlet of the gravity toilet bowl to the diameter of the vacuum sewer piping with the discharge valve. Normally, there is a pipe section as indicated by reference numeral 14 between the outlet 12 of the gravity toilet bowl 1 and the discharge valve 2. The adapter can be included in the pipe section between the outlet of the gravity toilet bowl and the discharge valve. Alternatively the adapter can be directly connected to the outlet of the gravity toilet bowl, whereby the pipe section 14 continues from the adapter to the discharge valve. In other words the adapter is arranged between the outlet of the gravity toilet bowl and the discharge valve, advantageously at the outlet of the gravity toilet bowl. The sewage can freely flow through the pipe section 14, if such a pipe section is deployed.

[0069] The connection between the gravity toilet bowl 1 and the vacuum sewer piping 3 is simply through the discharge valve 2, which is the standard manner of connection of a vacuum toilet to a vacuum sewer piping in a vacuum sewage system, and through the adapter, which in fact is only a part of the piping as such.

[0070] The toilet arrangement 10 is provided with a flushing section, which includes a flush water source 15 connected to the toilet bowl 1 by means of a flush valve 6. The flush valve 6 is controlled by an activating means 8 (typically a push button connection) for activating a flushing sequence and only one valve, the discharge valve 2, is controlled by a control mechanism 7 connected with the activating means 8 as indicated by a connection 18. The flush valve 6 is pneumatic in this example, but the flush valve 6 can also be a mechanical or an electrical flush valve 6. The activation means (push button) 8 controls the pneumatic flush valve 6 directly. This means that when the activation means 8 is pressed, the pneumatic flush valve 6 will open by lifting the pneumatic flush valve with pushed air and thus, water is flushed from the flush water source 15 to the toilet bowl 1. There is no vacuum in the flushing section of the toilet arrangement 10.

[0071] The activation means 8 are connected to the flush valve 6 directly and branched piping is provided out of the activation means 8, thus there are two pipe branches 16, 17: one pipe branch 16 to the pneumatic flush valve 6 and the other pipe branch 17 to the control mechanism 7, by which only one valve, the discharge valve 2 is opened / closed. The control mechanism 7 can be pneumatically of electrically governed. When the control mechanism 7 is pneumatically governed, it typically uses vacuum to operate some of the operations of the control mechanism 7. However, the control mechanism 7 can use a combination of air and electric signals to operate. The control mechanism 7 typically has at least one compartment that uses pneumatics for its operation.

[0072] In this example, the control mechanism 7 is connected to vacuum sewer piping 3 as indicated in the by a connection 19, and the control mechanism 7 is pneumatically governed using vacuum drawn from the vacuum sewer piping 3, however the control mechanism 7 can be also electrically governed and thus there may be no need for the control mechanism 7 to be connected to the vacuum sewer piping 3. In this case, the discharge valve 2 may have an additional connection to the vacuum sewer piping 3. The additional connection could be used to draw vacuum from the vacuum sewer piping 3 to open the discharge valve 2. Vacuum is generated in the vacuum sewer piping 3 by means of a vacuum unit 9.

[0073] The operation of the vacuum sewage system, comprising conducting the flushing sequence, i.e. a discharge of the gravity toilet bowl is as follows. When sewage has been disposed in the gravity toilet bowl 1 , the activating means 8 is activated (typically by pressing the push button of the push button connection), whereby the control mechanism 7 receives a pneumatic signal (displacement of air or an electric signal from the activating means 8. The control mechanism 7 is pneumatically or electrically connected to the discharge valve 2, and thus, vacuum is conveyed from the vacuum sewer piping 3 to the discharge valve 2. The activating means 8 open the flush valve 6 for opening this flush valve 6.

[0074] The sewage disposed in the toilet bowl 1 is directly discharged from the gravity toilet bowl 1 through the water trap 11 and the outlet 12, provided with the adapter 13, into the vacuum sewer piping 3 through the discharge valve 2 as flush water from the flush water source 15 at the same time is flushed into the gravity toilet bowl 1 by way of gravity.

[0075] After the flushing sequence, the discharge valve 2 and the flush valve 6 are closed. The flush valve 6 closes with a given delay in order to ensure that the water trap 11 is filled with water in the same manner as in connection with a standard gravity toilet system. Thus, the system is ready for a new flushing sequence.

[0076] In figure 4 is shown an example of the toilet arrangement 10 according to an advantageous example of the invention. The toilet arrangement 10 includes a gravity toilet bowl 1 provided with a water trap 11 and an outlet 12 having a diameter corresponding to a given diameter of a gravity sewer pipe. The toilet arrangement 10 further includes a water source 15, for example a water valve 5, a flush water tank 4 as indicated by the dashed line, and a flush valve 6, and an activating means 8 for activating a flushing sequence of the gravity toilet bowl 1. This example is also suitable for a toilet arrangement, in which the water source 15 is a water line.

[0077] The outlet 12 of the gravity toilet bowl 1 is provided with an adapter 13 which enables to connect the outlet 12 having a diameter corresponding to a given first diameter, usually between 90 mm to 110 mm of a standard gravity sewer pipe to a vacuum sewer piping 3 with a given second diameter, usually between 40 or 50 mm. The adapter 13 is directly connected to a vacuum sewer piping 3 by means of a discharge valve 2. In other words a first end of the discharge valve 2 is directly connected to the adapter 13 connected to the outlet 12 of the gravity toilet bowl 1 and a second end of the discharge valve 2, opposite to said first end, is directly connected to the vacuum sewer piping 3.

[0078] The direct connection indicates that there is no intermediate collecting or storage tank or other receptacle or other corresponding arrangement between the adapter 13 and the gravity toilet outlet 12. In a corresponding manner, there is no intermediate collecting or storage tank or other receptacle or other corresponding arrangement between the adapter 13 and the discharge valve 2. The adapter can include a piping section. The flow of sewage and flush water is thus directly out of the gravity toilet bowl 1 into the vacuum sewer piping 3 when the discharge valve 2 is open, i.e. normally during a discharge and flushing sequence. In other words, there is a direct connection, without any intermediate receptacle, between the first end of the discharge valve and the adapter, and a direct connection, without any intermediate receptacle, between the second end of the discharge valve, opposite the first end, and the vacuum sewer piping.

[0079] Thus, the gravity toilet bowl can be of any standard gravity toilet bowl design. In order to make the connection to a vacuum sewer piping the adapter 13 is used for providing a reduction of the diameter of the outlet of the gravity toilet bowl to the diameter of the vacuum sewer piping with the discharge valve. Normally, there is a pipe section as indicated by reference numeral 14 between the outlet 12 of the gravity toilet bowl 1 and the discharge valve 2. The adapter can be included in the pipe section between the outlet of the gravity toilet bowl and the discharge valve. Alternatively the adapter can be directly connected to the outlet of the gravity toilet bowl, whereby the pipe section 14 continues from the adapter to the discharge valve. In other words the adapter is arranged between the outlet of the gravity toilet bowl and the discharge valve, advantageously at the outlet of the gravity toilet bowl. The sewage can freely flow through the pipe section 14, if such a pipe section is deployed.

[0080] The connection between the gravity toilet bowl 1 and the vacuum sewer piping 3 is simply through the discharge valve 2, which is the standard manner of connection of a vacuum toilet to a vacuum sewer piping in a vacuum sewage system, and through the adapter, which in fact is only a part of the piping as such.

[0081] The toilet arrangement 10 is provided with a flushing section, which includes a flush water tank 4 connected to a source of water by means of a water valve 5. The flush water tank 4 is connected to the toilet bowl 1 by means of a flush valve 6, which can be a pneumatic, a mechanical or an electrical flush valve 6. The flush valve 6 and the discharge valve 2 are controlled by an activating means 8 (typically a push button connection) as indicated by connections 16 and 18. In this example, the activating means 8 is directly connected to the flush valve 6 and the discharge valve 2. There is no vacuum in the flushing section of the toilet arrangement 10.

[0082] The flush valve 6 and the discharge valve 2 are controlled electrically by the activating means 8. To achieve this, one example involves an activating means 8 which is a push button and that is capable of sending an electrical signal via cables to the discharge valve and flush valve. In this embodiment, there is no need for a pneumatic control mechanism. In this example there is at least one PCB (printed circuit board) or control device located in the activating means 8 or the flush valve 6 or both in order to send and receive the electrical signals. The PCB or control devices may be located within the activating means 8 or separate from the activating means 8. The discharge valve 2 and flush valve 6 may be operated with actuators or other components known in the art for opening and closing valves electronically. In this embodiment, there may not be a need for the control device or the activating means to be connected to the vacuum sewer piping 3. Both the discharge valve 2 and the flush valve 6 are electrically controlled in this example. However, the flush valve 6 could still be pneumatically or mechanically controlled and there would still be no need for a pneumatic control mechanism.

[0083] In this example, there is a water tank 4 and water valve 5, however the toilet arrangement 10 could have a tankless design, therefore not having a water tank 4 and a water valve 5.

[0084] The water valve 5 is opened by a float. When the water level is rising up in the flush water tank 4, the water level will reach the float and therefore close the water valve 5.

[0085] The flush water tank 4 is a gravity flush water tank 4, advantageously a standard gravity flush tank. Inside the gravity flush water tank 4, there is a physical airgap within the flow of water. This provides a safety measure since it could prevent the entry of contaminants into the water supply in the case of backflow pressure. The gravity flush water tank 4 has an overflow feature where, in the case of backflow pressure or some other reason that the gravity flush water tank 4 being filled more than usual, then the overflow liquid can escape to the toilet bowl 1.

[0086] Vacuum is generated in the vacuum sewer piping 3 by means of a vacuum unit 9.

[0087] The operation of the vacuum sewage system, comprising conducting the flushing sequence, i.e. a discharge of the gravity toilet bowl is as follows. When sewage has been disposed in the gravity toilet bowl 1 , the activating means 8 is activated (typically by pressing the push button of the push button connection). Vacuum is thus conveyed from the vacuum sewer piping 3 to the discharge valve 2. The activating means 8 opens the flush valve 6 for opening this flush valve 6.

[0088] The sewage disposed in the toilet bowl 1 is directly discharged from the gravity toilet bowl 1 through the water trap 11 and the outlet 12, provided with the adapter 13, into the vacuum sewer piping 3 through the discharge valve 2 as flush water from the flush water tank 4 at the same time is flushed into the gravity toilet bowl 1 by way of gravity.

[0089] After the flushing sequence, the discharge valve 2 and the flush valve 6 are closed. The flush water 6 closes with a given delay in order to ensure that the water trap 11 is filled with water in the same manner as in connection with a standard gravity toilet system. After a predetermined delay, i.e. when the flush water tank 4 has been filled with water to a predetermined degree, the water valve 5 is closed. Thus, the system is ready for a new flushing sequence.

[0090] The drawings and the description related thereto are only intended for clarification of the basic idea of the invention. The invention may vary in detail with the scope of the ensuing claims.

[0091] In the description in the foregoing, although some functions and elements have been described with reference to certain features, those functions and elements may be performable by other features whether described or not. Although features have been described with reference to certain embodiments or examples, those features may also be present in other embodiments or examples whether described or not. Above the invention has been described by referring to some advantageous examples only to which the invention is not to be narrowly limited. Many modifications and alterations are possible within the invention as defined in the following claims.

Claims

Claims1. Toilet arrangement, which toilet arrangement (10) comprises a gravity toilet bowl (1) provided with a water trap (11) and an outlet (12) having a diameter corresponding to a given first diameter of a gravity sewer pipe, which toilet arrangement (10) further comprises a flushing section comprising a water source (15) and a flush valve (6), which flushing section is connected to the gravity toilet bowl (1) by the flush valve (6) for providing flush water to the gravity toilet bowl during a flushing sequence, and an activating means (8) for activating the flushing sequence of the gravity toilet bowl, which toilet arrangement (10) further comprises a discharge valve (2), a vacuum sewer piping (3) with a given second diameter, and a vacuum unit (9) connected to the vacuum sewer piping (3) for generating vacuum in the vacuum sewer piping (3), characterized in that, the flush valve (6) is directly controlled by the activating means (8) and that the flushing section is in a pressure ranging from 0,25 to 8 bar.

2. Toilet arrangement according to claim 1 , characterised in that the toilet arrangement (10) comprises a control mechanism (7) arranged to be activated by the activating means (8) and connected to the discharge valve (2), and that in the toilet arrangement (10) only one valve, the discharge valve (2) is controlled by the control mechanism (7).

3. Toilet arrangement according to claim 1 , characterised in that the toilet arrangement (10) comprises a control mechanism (7) arranged to be activated by the activating means (8) connected to the discharge valve (2) and to the vacuum sewer piping (3), and that in the toilet arrangement (10) only one valve, the discharge valve (2) is controlled by the control mechanism (7).

4. Toilet arrangement according to any of claims 2 or 3, characterised in that branched piping (16, 17) is provided out of the activation means (8), that the branched piping has two pipe branches (16, 17): one pipe branch (16) to the flush valve (6) and the other pipe branch (17) to the control mechanism (7) .

5. Toilet arrangement according to claim 1, characterised in that in the toilet arrangement (10) the activating means (8) is configured to in addition to the flush valve (6) directly control the discharge valve (2).

6. Toilet arrangement according to any of the claims 1-5, characterised in that the flushing section of the toilet arrangement (10) further comprises a flush water tank (4) connected to the water source (15) by means of a water valve (5).

7. Toilet arrangement according to claim 6, characterised in that the flush water tank (4) is a gravity flush water tank (4).

8. Toilet arrangement according to claim 7, characterised in that the gravity flush water tank (4) comprises a physical airgap located inside the gravity flush water tank (4) and within the flow of water.

9. Toilet arrangement according to any of claims 7 or 8, characterised in that the gravity flush water tank (4) comprises an overflow feature, which in the case of backflow pressure or some other reason that the gravity flush water tank (4) is being filled more than usual provides that the overflow liquid escapes to the gravity toilet bowl (1).

10. Toilet arrangement according to any of claims 1-9, characterised in that the flush valve (6) is a pneumatic flush valve (6).

11. Toilet arrangement according to any of claims 1-9, characterised in that the flush valve (6) is a mechanical or an electrical flush valve (6).

12. Toilet arrangement according to any of claims 2-11, characterised in that the control mechanism (7) is a pneumatic mechanism or an electrical mechanism or a combination of a pneumatic and an electrical mechanism.

13. Toilet arrangement according to any of claims 2-12 characterised in that the activating means (8) is configured to release air for the control mechanism (7) and / or to activate the flush valve (6).

14. Toilet arrangement according to any of claims 1-13, characterised in that the toilet arrangement (10) comprises an adapter (13) for providing a flow connection between the outlet (12) with the given first diameter of a gravity sewer pipe and the discharge valve (2) with the given second diameter of the vacuum sewer piping, that a first end of the discharge valve (2) is directly connected by means of the adapter (13) to the outlet (12) of the gravity toilet bowl (1) and that a second end of the discharge valve (2), opposite to said first end, is directly connected to the vacuum sewer piping (3), whereby sewage disposed in the gravity toilet bowl (1 ) is arranged to be directly discharged from the gravity toilet bowl through the water trap and the outlet provided with the adapter into the vacuum sewer piping (3) through the discharge valve (2) in connection with the flushing sequence.

15. Toilet arrangement according to any of claims 1-14, characterised in that the activating means (8) of the toilet arrangement (10) and / or the discharge valve (2) of the toilet arrangement (10) comprises a control device or a printed circuit board configured to send and / or to receive electric signals.

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