Dual-Flush Discharge Valve With Float-Speed Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional discharge valve devices in flush toilets struggle to maintain a high instantaneous flow rate during small flushing while minimizing closing sound, often requiring complex float designs and compromising flushing performance.
Innovation Solution
A discharge valve device with a water storage cylinder that adjusts the float's lowering speed and valve opening time based on flushing mode, using multiple outlet ports or partitions to control the flow rate and sound, ensuring high instantaneous flow rates during small flushing without excessive closing noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the valve opening time is kept constant during large and small flushing, then the device structure is simple, but the instantaneous flow rate decreases noticeably during small flushing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the valve opening time variable rather than constant. The control unit adjusts the valve opening time based on the detected water level in the cistern, creating a dynamic system that adapts to different flushing conditions. During small flushing, the valve opens for a shorter duration, maintaining high instantaneous flow rate, while during large flushing, it opens longer to provide sufficient flush water volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the temporal parameter (valve opening time) based on water level conditions. The control unit modifies this parameter dynamically: when water level is high (large flushing), the valve opens longer; when water level is low (small flushing), the valve opens shorter. This parameter adjustment resolves the contradiction between maintaining simple structure and preserving high instantaneous flow rate.
2Productivity
If the instantaneous flow rate is maintained high during small flushing, then flushing performance is improved, but closing sound increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses dynamic adjustment of valve opening time to balance flushing performance and noise reduction. By shortening the valve opening duration during small flushing, the system maintains high instantaneous flow rate for effective flushing while limiting the total water volume that causes excessive closing sound, thus dynamically resolving the contradiction between performance and noise.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic control of the discharge valve based on water level detection. The control unit creates a periodic action pattern where the valve opens for specific durations determined by water level conditions, allowing the system to achieve effective flushing with controlled sound generation through timed periodic operation rather than continuous or fixed-duration operation.
3Productivity
If two floats are used to change valve opening time for large and small flushing, then instantaneous flow rate is maintained high, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the control function from the mechanical float system and relocates it to an electronic control unit. Instead of using two separate floats with different buoyancy characteristics, the system uses a single float for water level detection and an electronic controller that processes the detection signal to determine appropriate valve opening times. This extraction of the control function to an electronic system reduces mechanical complexity while maintaining the ability to provide high instantaneous flow rate during small flushing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical float-based control system with an electronic sensing and control system. The electronic control unit substitutes for the mechanical decision-making that would otherwise require complex float designs. This substitution maintains the high instantaneous flow rate capability through electronic timing control while significantly reducing the mechanical complexity of the float mechanism.
4Productivity
If the float lowering time is changed depending on flushing mode, then instantaneous flow rate and closing sound are optimized, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service control system where the control unit automatically detects water level conditions and independently determines the appropriate valve opening time without requiring external intervention or complex additional mechanisms. The system serves itself by using the existing float detection mechanism in conjunction with electronic control logic that automatically adjusts timing parameters based on detected conditions, optimizing instantaneous flow rate and closing sound without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs feedback control where the control unit continuously monitors water level conditions through the float detection mechanism and adjusts the valve opening time accordingly. This feedback loop enables the system to automatically optimize performance parameters (instantaneous flow rate and closing sound) based on real-time water level conditions, achieving the desired optimization without requiring overly complex pre-programmed or mechanically fixed systems.
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
Maintains a high instantaneous flow rate during small flushing and reduces closing sound by adjusting the float's lowering speed and valve opening time, enhancing flushing performance and reducing noise.
Implementation Method 1
a float disposed in the water storage cylinder and configured to cause buoyancy obtained by the flush water in the water storage cylinder to act on the actuation shaft
Data Source
AI summary
A discharge valve device includes a valve body, an actuation shaft, a water storage cylinder, and a float, and from when the valve body opens to when the valve body closes, either flushing mode of a large flushing mode in which the flush water in a water storage tank is supplied from a discharge opening to the flush toilet in a first flush water amount or a small flushing mode in which the flush water is supplied in a second flush water amount smaller than the first flush water amount is selectively executable, and the water storage cylinder or the float is configured to change a lowering speed of the float with decrease in water level in the water storage cylinder depending on the selected large flushing mode or small flushing mode.