Detachable Plastic Flush Distributor for Sanitary Fixtures

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Solution Overview

Problem

Ceramic flush distributor systems for sanitary articles, such as toilets, are complex and expensive to produce, with inaccessible water inlet and flushing manifold areas making cleaning difficult and prone to decalcification.

Innovation Solution

A plastic flush manifold system with a detachable design that allows easy access and replacement, featuring a flush manifold and attachment line with fastening means that enable perpendicular attachment and detachment, facilitating cleaning and simplifying production by allowing for easier tolerance compensation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a ceramic flush distributor system is used, then the sanitary article has durable and integrated construction, but the production complexity and cost increase, and cleaning access becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovedurabilityVSAvoidproduction complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention divides the flush distributor system into separate components: a removable plastic flush distributor and a mounting pipe that remains in the sanitary article. This segmentation allows the complex ceramic casting to be replaced with simpler plastic injection molding, reducing production complexity while maintaining functional integration through the mounting pipe structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The flush distributor is extracted as a separate removable component from the ceramic sanitary article. This extraction enables independent manufacturing of the distributor using simpler plastic molding processes, eliminating the need for complex integrated ceramic casting while allowing easy removal for cleaning and maintenance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Stability of the object's composition

If a ceramic flush distributor system is used, then the construction is integrated, but the cleaning access to water inlet and flushing manifold areas becomes inaccessible

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveintegrated constructionVSAvoidcleaning access
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system is segmented into a removable flush distributor and a fixed mounting pipe. The mounting pipe remains integrated in the sanitary article providing stable construction, while the flush distributor can be removed for cleaning, solving the accessibility problem without compromising integrated construction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The flush distributor transitions from a fixed integrated state to a removable state, enabling dynamic access for cleaning. The mounting means allow the distributor to be detached when cleaning is needed and reattached when not needed, providing conditional accessibility while maintaining integrated construction during normal operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of operation

If a plastic flush distributor system with detachable mounting is used, then cleaning access and replacement ease improve, but the connection reliability between components may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning accessVSAvoidconnection reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting means combine features of both permanent fixation and removable connection. The interlocking structure between the mounting pipe and flush distributor provides reliable connection during normal use, while allowing intentional removal for cleaning. The design merges the stability of integrated construction with the accessibility of separate components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The mounting means are pre-designed with alignment features and engagement structures that ensure proper positioning and secure connection before use. This preliminary design of the connection mechanism ensures reliable attachment while maintaining the ability to remove for cleaning, addressing both connection reliability and cleaning access requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

4Ease of manufacture

If ceramic material is used for the flush distributor, then the sanitary article has aesthetic consistency, but the material cost and manufacturing complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidmaterial cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The flush distributor is made from inexpensive plastic material that can be easily manufactured through injection molding. This replaces expensive ceramic material and complex casting processes with cheaper plastic and simpler molding, reducing material cost and manufacturing complexity while maintaining functional performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses composite construction with a plastic flush distributor and mounting pipe combined with the ceramic sanitary article. This composite approach allows the use of inexpensive plastic for the distributor components while maintaining aesthetic consistency through proper material selection and surface finishing, reducing overall material cost.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentEP3543412B1Flushing distributor system for sanitary articles and sanitary articles with such a flushing distributor system
Publication Date: 2022.08.10 KERAMIK HOLDING AG LAUFEN
  • EP3543412B1 patent drawingFigure 1~4
  • EP3543412B1 patent drawingFigure 5~7
  • EP3543412B1 patent drawingFigure 8~10

AI summary

The invention relates to a flushing distribution system made of plastic for use with a sanitary fixture. The flushing distribution system comprises a flushing distributor (10) and a mounting line (20) for attaching the flushing distributor (10) to a sanitary fixture. The flushing distributor (10) has an inlet opening (15), at least one outlet opening (11, 12, 13) arranged at an angle to the inlet opening, and fastening means that correspond to fastening means of the mounting line (20) for the removable attachment of the flushing distributor (10) to the mounting line (20). The fastening means of the flushing distributor (10) and the mounting line (20) are arranged and designed such that they allow the flushing distributor (10) to be removed from and attached to the mounting line (20) in a direction perpendicular to a central axis of the mounting line (20). The invention also relates to a sanitary fixture comprising such a flushing distribution system.