Toilet Cistern Filling Valve With Self-Cleaning Pressure Flow Regulator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing filling valves for toilet cisterns are susceptible to limescale deposits and contamination, and their maintenance is complex.
Innovation Solution
A filling valve with a coil spring-supported flow regulator that reduces flow cross-section under increasing water pressure, featuring a central control element and a plunger mechanism to regulate flow, which is easy to install and maintain, and includes a passage for backup flow in case of malfunction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a flow limiting element is used to limit flow rate at high water pressure, then the flow rate is kept constant, but the maintenance becomes complex due to limescale deposits
Solution Approach 1:
The flow limiting element is replaced by a dynamic control element that moves along the central axis in response to water pressure changes. This dynamic mechanism automatically adjusts the flow cross-section without requiring manual intervention or cleaning, resolving the maintenance complexity issue while maintaining effective flow rate regulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The control element is designed to self-regulate flow based on water pressure without external control systems. The element automatically responds to pressure changes by moving along the central axis, eliminating the need for complex control mechanisms and reducing maintenance requirements through self-adjusting operation.
2Productivity
If the control element is located far from the inlet, then flow regulation is effective, but installation and maintenance become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The control element is positioned in the central region of the water channel where flow characteristics are most representative. This central location provides optimal flow regulation effectiveness while maintaining easy accessibility for installation and maintenance operations, balancing both requirements through strategic positioning.
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 design effectively prevents limescale deposits and contamination, enhances service life, and ensures reliable flow regulation with minimal maintenance, while maintaining fluid dynamics and preventing excessive flow losses.
Implementation Method 1
The spiral spring has the advantage that it deforms under increasing pressure
Implementation Method 2
any limescale deposits or dirt lying on the spiral spring are blasted off
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A filling valve (1) for filling a toilet cistern comprises a housing (2), a water channel (3) arranged in the housing (2) with an inlet (4) and an outlet (5), and an inlet valve (6) arranged in the water channel (3), which closes the water channel (3) and opens it during filling, wherein a flow regulator (7) with a control element (8) is provided in the water channel (3), which regulates the flow such that the flow cross-section of the flow regulator (7) is reduced as the water pressure increases, and wherein the control element (8) has a coil spring (9) which is supported at a bearing point (11) in the water channel via a front end (10), wherein a distal end (12) of the coil spring (9) is movable relative to the front end (10) in the direction of the front end (10) as the water pressure increases, wherein the movement causes the said A reduction in cross-sectional area is achieved.