Flush Toilet with Pressurizing Pump and Dynamic Rim Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Water main direct-pressure type flush toilets face challenges in supplying adequate flush water in localities with low water main pressure, leading to insufficient flushing and increased costs due to the need for pressure sensors, and variability in constant flow valves results in excessive water usage in areas with high pressure.

Innovation Solution

A flush toilet system that includes a pressurizing pump, a holding tank, and control mechanisms to adjust rim spouting time based on water replenishment time, ensuring appropriate flush water volume and reducing the need for pressure sensors, by using a pressurizing pump to enhance jet spouting and adjusting rim spouting times to prevent seal breakage and overflow.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If water main direct pressure-type flush toilet is used, then the toilet can be made more compact, but it may be difficult to supply flush water at an adequate flow rate in localities with low water main pressure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetoilet sizeVSAvoidflush water flow rate
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the rim spouting time based on the detected water main pressure conditions. By measuring the water replenishment time and inferring pressure levels, the control unit modifies the flushing parameters in real-time, allowing the compact direct-pressure toilet to adapt to varying pressure conditions and maintain adequate flush performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the operational parameters (spouting time duration) based on the detected water main pressure. The system measures water replenishment time to infer pressure conditions, then adjusts the rim spout duration accordingly - extending it in low-pressure conditions and shortening it in high-pressure conditions - thereby resolving the contradiction between compact design and adequate flow rate.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If the duration of water spouting is set to supply sufficient flush water in low pressure localities, then adequate flushing is achieved, but excessive flush water is expelled in normal water main pressure localities

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflushing adequacyVSAvoidflush water volume
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system employs feedback control by measuring the water replenishment time and using this information to adjust the rim spouting duration. The control unit continuously monitors the water supply characteristics and modifies the flushing parameters accordingly, ensuring that the flush water volume is optimized for the actual water main pressure conditions rather than using a fixed conservative setting.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The rim spouting duration is made dynamic rather than fixed. The system adapts the spouting time based on real-time detection of water supply characteristics, allowing it to provide sufficient flushing in low-pressure areas while preventing water waste in normal-pressure areas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Measurement precision

If a pressure sensor or flow rate sensor is provided to measure water main pressure, then appropriate water spouting times can be set, but the cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewater main pressure measurementVSAvoidsensor cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of directly measuring water main pressure with expensive sensors, the system creates an indirect measurement by timing the water replenishment process. This proxy measurement method provides sufficient information about water main pressure conditions without requiring costly pressure or flow rate sensors, thereby reducing device complexity and cost.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The invention replaces the mechanical/electrical pressure sensing system with a temporal measurement system. By measuring the time required for water replenishment and inferring pressure from this timing data, the system eliminates the need for complex pressure sensors while achieving the same functional goal of adapting to water main pressure conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Loss of substance

If constant flow valve is used to control flush water flow rate, then excessive water can be prevented in high pressure areas, but flow rates vary greatly between units making it difficult to set universal spouting times

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflush water volumeVSAvoidcompatibility with different constant flow valves
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of substanceVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses feedback from the water replenishment timing to adapt to the specific characteristics of the installed constant flow valve. By measuring how long it takes to replenish water and inferring the flow rate characteristics, the control unit automatically adjusts the rim spouting duration to compensate for variations between different constant flow valve units, achieving universal compatibility without requiring manual calibration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

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 system effectively supplies an appropriate flush water volume in low-pressure areas and maintains consistent performance across varying constant flow valves, preventing seal breakage and overflow, while eliminating the need for pressure sensors to estimate water main pressure.

Implementation Method 1

a pressurizing pump for pressurizing flush water spouted from the jet water spouting port

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressurization: Pressurisation

Implementation Method 2

no siphoning effect can be induced in the waste trap pipe, and waste in the bowl portion cannot be adequately discharged

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSiphoning effect: Syphon

Data Source

PatentEP2058443B1Flush toilet
Publication Date: 2017.05.17 TOTO LTD
  • EP2058443B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2058443B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2058443B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

[Purpose] To provide a flush toilet capable of supplying an appropriate volume of flush water, and of being installed in localities with low water main pressure. [Solution] The present invention is a flush toilet (1) flushed by pressurized flush water, comprising a flush toilet main body (2) furnished with a bowl portion and a drain trap pipe; a pressurizing pump (34) for pressurizing flush water spouted from a jet water spouting port; a holding tank (32) for holding flush water to be pressurized by the pressurizing pump; a flush control means (40) for causing flush water to be spouted from the rim water spouting port for a predetermined rim spouting time using water main supply pressure, and for flushing the bowl portion by causing a predetermined jet spouting volume of flush water in the holding tank to be spouted from the jet spouting port using the pressurizing pump; a flush water replenishment means (28) for supplying flush water from a water main to the holding tank after flushing the bowl portion, thereby restoring the volume of water held in the holding tank to a predetermined pre-flush held water volume; a clock means (40a) for detecting a water replenishment time starting from the commencement of flush water supply by the flush water replenishment means until the volume of water held in the holding tank is restored to a predetermined held water volume; and a water spouting time adjustment means (40b) for adjusting the rim spouting time during which flush water is spouted from the rim water spouting port by the flush control means, based on the water replenishment time detected by the clock means.