Two-Quantity Discharge Valve Pneumatic Float Control

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing drain valves for cisterns are complex in design, require significant space, and are prone to errors over time due to their large number of moving parts, making them less durable and less suitable for implementing precise two-volume flushes.

Innovation Solution

A drain valve design featuring a float chamber with a chimney-like section and a partial flushing ventilation opening that is higher than the partition wall, allowing for independent control of partial flushing volumes without the need for additional weights, and incorporating a closing element that can be actuated by a partial flushing pull element to control the ventilation opening.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If additional weights and complex coupling devices are used to implement partial flush, then partial flush function is achieved, but device complexity increases and installation space requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepartial flush functionVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the additional weight component from the system and replaces it with a ventilation opening at a specific height in the float chamber. This ventilation opening allows air to enter the float chamber at a controlled level, creating buoyancy forces that enable partial flush without requiring additional weights or complex coupling devices.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses pneumatic principles by introducing a ventilation opening that allows air to enter the float chamber. The air buoyancy force acts on the float to create the necessary lifting force for partial flush, replacing the mechanical weight-based system with a pneumatic-hydraulic solution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

2Adaptability or versatility

If additional weights and coupling devices are used to implement partial flush, then partial flush function is achieved, but reliability decreases due to more moving parts

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepartial flush functionVSAvoidreliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention removes the additional weight and coupling device components that are prone to wear and failure. The ventilation opening is a static structural feature rather than a moving part, eliminating the reliability issues associated with mechanical coupling and weight mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The ventilation opening automatically controls the flush volume based on the water level in the cistern. When water level drops to the ventilation opening height, air enters and triggers the flush mechanism without requiring additional control components, making the system self-regulating and more reliable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Ease of operation

If traditional drain valve design is used, then basic flushing function is achieved, but construction complexity and installation space increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflushing functionVSAvoidconstruction complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges the partial flush control function into the existing float chamber structure by adding a ventilation opening at a specific height. This integrates the partial flush capability into the main valve body without requiring separate additional components, simplifying the overall construction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses the vertical dimension of the float chamber by positioning the ventilation opening at a specific height. This height-based control mechanism allows different flush volumes to be achieved by simply opening or closing the ventilation opening, adding functional dimensionality without increasing horizontal space requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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

This design simplifies the construction, reduces installation space, provides precise control over flushing quantities, and enhances durability by eliminating the need for additional weights, ensuring accurate and reliable flushing operations.

Implementation Method 1

air entering through the opened ventilation opening can be introduced as soon as a flushing water level surrounding the housing in the installed position has dropped to the height of the ventilation opening

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAir buoyancy: Archimedes' Principle (Buoyancy)

Implementation Method 2

a closing element, the valve body being able to be raised from a closed position to an open position of the drain valve by means of the full flush pull element

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhysical containment: Physical Containment

Data Source

PatentEP2092128B1Two-quantity discharge valve
Publication Date: 2013.02.13 TECE GMBH
  • EP2092128B1 patent drawingFigure 1~4
  • EP2092128B1 patent drawingFigure 5~8
  • EP2092128B1 patent drawingFigure 9~12

AI summary

The invention relates to a discharge valve (2) for performing two-quantity flushing, comprising a full-flushing quantity and a part-flushing quantity, in a cistern (96) connected to a WC. This valve should have a particularly simple and space-saving structure and additionally have a particularly long life. According to the invention, the part-flushing quantity is controlled solely through a part-quantity bypass opening (46) which can be closed via a closing element and which, in the installed position, is arranged at the water level of the part-flushing quantity, and an additional element is designed as a closing element (10, 56, 78) by means of which this part-quantity bypass opening (46) can be opened and closed to control the part-flushing quantity. In this arrangement, opening the part-quantity bypass opening (46) makes it possible to aerate the space between the float (18) and the separating wall (22) such that the valve body (6) is brought more quickly into the closing position, whereas, in the case of full flushing, the float is held in its raised position by negative pressure.