Reservoir Tank Segmentation for Flush Toilet Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flush toilets with dual tanks for low silhouetting designs are prone to tilting and potential collision with the toilet main body and floor due to asymmetrical tank shapes and inadequate fixation, leading to breakage.
Innovation Solution
A flush toilet design featuring a reservoir tank divided into a large and small tank portion, with the large portion on one side and the small portion on the other, connected by a conduit that maintains the tank's horizontal state through weight imbalance and conduit restraint, allowing for secure storage volume while minimizing height and enhancing design aesthetics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a single large tank is used to maximize water storage capacity, then the tank volume is increased, but the tank becomes prone to tilting and collision due to asymmetrical shape and inadequate fixation
Solution Approach 1:
The tank is divided into multiple compartments (first tank housed behind the bowl, second tank housed below the bowl) to distribute weight and reduce tilting. This segmentation allows the tank to maintain stability while preserving total water storage capacity.
2Shape
If the tank is positioned low to achieve low silhouetting design, then the aesthetic design is improved, but the tank capacity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing tank height vertically, the design utilizes horizontal space by positioning tanks in different locations (behind and below the bowl). This dimensional approach maintains the low silhouetting aesthetic while preserving adequate water storage capacity.
3Device complexity
If functional components are disposed around the tank to maximize space utilization, then the device complexity is reduced, but the tank shape becomes asymmetrical and distorted
Solution Approach 1:
The tank system is segmented into multiple compartments that can be strategically positioned around functional components. This segmentation allows the tank to adapt to the spatial constraints imposed by other components while maintaining adequate storage capacity and stability.
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
Prevents significant tilting of the reservoir tank, ensuring it does not collide with the toilet main body or floor, while maintaining low silhouetting and improving design properties by integrating the pump and water supply functions within the connection conduit, reducing component count and manufacturing costs, and facilitating maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
the entire connection conduit can effectively restrain a tilting movement of the entire reservoir tank
Implementation Method 2
since the volumes of the large tank portion and the small tank portion of the reservoir tank of the flush water tank device are different, imbalance of weight in the reservoir tank occurs
Data Source
AI summary
A flush toilet includes a toilet main body, a flush water tank device, and connection conduits for supplying, to a toilet main body, flush water supplied from a reservoir tank. The reservoir tank includes a large tank portion on a large volume side in the reservoir tank when the reservoir tank is divided into two at the left-right center and a small tank portion on a small volume side in the reservoir tank when the reservoir tank is divided into two at the left-right center. The upstream end of one connection conduit is connected to the large tank portion and, on the other hand, the downstream end of the other connection conduit is connected to the other side of the toilet main body divided into two at the left-right center.