Flush Tank Feeding Device Air Vent Flooding Chamber

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing feeding devices for flush tanks suffer from noise issues due to water/air mixture formation during normal operation, and they are not simple, effective, or reliable, especially at low water supply pressures.

Innovation Solution

The air vent is positioned higher than in previous designs, creating a flooding chamber that fills with water to close the air vent, preventing backflow and reducing noise, while maintaining simplicity and reliability across varying pressure levels.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If an air outlet opening is provided in the valve assembly to prevent backflow, then backflow prevention is improved, but noise during filling increases due to water/air mixture formation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebackflow preventionVSAvoidnoise during filling
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the air outlet function from the valve assembly and relocates it to the body through a separate air vent opening. This separation allows the valve assembly to focus on backflow prevention while the body's air vent manages air evacuation, preventing water/air mixture formation in the feeding device and reducing noise during filling.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the air vent is positioned higher to create a flooding chamber, then noise reduction is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenoise reductionVSAvoidconstruction simplicity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges the flooding chamber function with the existing body structure by positioning the air vent at a higher level than the outlet tube. The body itself serves as the flooding chamber, eliminating the need for separate components and maintaining construction simplicity while achieving noise reduction through proper water/air separation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the air vent is located at a higher level, then noise during filling is reduced, but operation at low pressure may be affected

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenoise during fillingVSAvoidoperation at low pressure
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention utilizes the vertical dimension by positioning the air vent at a higher level than the outlet tube, creating a flooding chamber that leverages gravity and pressure differential. This dimensional arrangement ensures that water naturally fills the chamber and closes the air vent during operation, maintaining reliability at low pressures without compromising noise reduction.

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 configuration effectively prevents water backflow, minimizes noise during tank filling, and ensures reliable operation even at low water supply pressures, enhancing the simplicity and effectiveness of the feeding device.

Implementation Method 1

the air vent (24) is formed in the body (2) and communicates with the outside of the body (2) and with the outlet conduit (8)... the flooding chamber (22) fills with water to close the air vent

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHydraulic pressure: Pressure Increase

Implementation Method 2

the diaphragm elastically deforms under the water pressure and puts the conduits into communication with each other, thus allowing the passage of water

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Implementation Method 3

When the float, as a result of the discharge of water from the tank, falls, it opens the vent nozzle... When the float rises, it closes the vent nozzle

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectBuoyancy: Archimedes' Principle (Buoyancy)

Data Source

PatentEP3495572B1Feeding device for a flush tank
Publication Date: 2020.07.08 OLI SISTEMAS SANITARIOS SA
  • EP3495572B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3495572B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3495572B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A feeding device (1) for a flush tank comprises an internally hollow body (2), a valve assembly (3) housed inside the body (2) and arranged between an inlet conduit (7) and an outlet conduit (8); an air vent (24) formed in the body (2) and communicating with the outside of the body (2) and with the outlet conduit (8); and a flooding chamber (22), positioned in the body (2) and communicating with the air vent (24) and with the outlet conduit (8); the outlet tube (6) has a narrowing (35), positioned at one lower free end (20) of the outlet tube (6) so as to cause the filling of the chamber (22) with water and close the air vent (24) with a water zone.