Toilet Cistern Outlet Fitting Hydraulic Balance Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drain fittings for cisterns have limited adjustability for full-volume and partial-volume flush settings, restricting the flexibility in controlling flush quantities.
Innovation Solution
A drain fitting with a valve body, sealing element, and float, featuring a partition with full and partial flow control openings that allow hydraulic balance adjustment, enabling greater design freedom for control units and allowing mechanical and hydraulic forces to control the valve body's movement between flushing positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If control openings are arranged in the partition, then design freedom for control units is improved and area above partition is freed, but structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The partition is segmented to include separate full flow control opening and partial flow control opening, allowing independent control of different flush volumes. This segmentation enables the control units to be designed with greater freedom while managing complexity through functional division.
Solution Approach 2:
Control openings are integrated into the partition structure itself, utilizing the vertical dimension of the partition to house control mechanisms. This dimensional approach frees up horizontal area above the partition for control unit design while maintaining structural integration.
2Force
If hydraulic influence is used to reduce mechanical closing force, then force requirements are reduced, but control system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Hydraulic influence is introduced through control openings that allow water pressure to act on the float chamber, creating a hydraulic balance that reduces the mechanical closing force required. The hydraulic pressure from the cistern water level compensates for the weight of control units, reducing the mechanical force needed to operate the valve.
Solution Approach 2:
The hydraulic pressure generated by water level in the cistern acts as a counterweight to the mechanical closing force. As water level rises, hydraulic pressure increases, automatically compensating for the weight of control units and reducing the net mechanical force required to maintain valve closure.
3Adaptability or versatility
If float chamber is used for hydraulic balance control, then flush quantity control is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The float chamber serves multiple functions: it provides hydraulic balance control, houses the float mechanism for water level detection, and enables both full-volume and partial-volume flush control through the control openings. This multi-functionality improves flush quantity control while avoiding the need for separate control mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The control units for full-volume and partial-volume flushing are merged into a single integrated system using the float chamber and partition structure. Both control functions share the same hydraulic balance mechanism and float chamber, simplifying the overall device while maintaining versatile control capabilities.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a more flexible and adjustable system for full-volume and partial-volume flushing, reducing the mechanical closing force through hydraulic influence, allowing precise control of flush quantities and enhancing the reliability and longevity of the flushing mechanism.
Implementation Method 1
Through the full flow control opening and the partial flow control opening air and/or water can pass from above the partition below it, so that the pressure conditions between the float chamber and the areas outside the float chamber can be equalized
Implementation Method 2
The hydraulic balance within the float chamber is therefore disturbed. The state of the full quantity control opening and the partial quantity control opening is controllable by the full quantity control unit and the partial quantity control unit
Implementation Method 3
a float, which can be moved along the actuation axis within the float chamber and works hydraulically with it
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3
AI summary
A flushing assembly (1) for a cistern, comprising a valve body (2) with a sealing element (4) cooperating with a valve seat (3) and a float (5), wherein the valve body (2) with the sealing element (4) is movable from the valve seat (3) along an axis of movement (B) from a rest position to a flush position and from the flush position to the rest position, a full-volume control unit (6) for controlling a full-volume flush, wherein the full-volume control unit (6) provides a closing force (F) on the valve body (2) when a water level intended for the full volume is reached, and a partial-volume control unit (7) for controlling a partial-volume flush, wherein the partial-volume control unit (7) provides a closing force (F) on the valve body (2) when a water level intended for the partial volume is reached, a partition (8) with a float chamber (9) located below it,wherein the valve body (2) extends through an opening (10) through the partition (8), wherein the float (5) is movable within the float chamber (9) along the actuating axis (B) and cooperates hydraulically with it, wherein the partition (8) has a full-quantity control opening (11) and a partial-quantity control opening (12) through which air and/or water can pass from the top (13) of the partition (8) to below it, such that the pressure conditions between the float chamber (9) and the areas (14) outside the float chamber (9) can be equalized, and wherein the state of the full-quantity control opening (11) and the partial-quantity control opening (12) can be controlled by the full-quantity control unit (6) and the partial-quantity control unit (7).