Flush Toilet Device With Simultaneous Upper Spout and Tank Refill
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flush toilets waste water due to excessive flow rates from rim spout holes during flushes, leading to prolonged refill times and inefficiency in using stored and supplied water.
Innovation Solution
A flush toilet device with separate upper and lower spout ports, controlled by on-off valves and a controller, which allows water to be simultaneously spouted from the upper port for washing and supplied into the tank, reducing wasteful water usage by optimizing flow rates and independent control of water supply.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If flush water is supplied from water supply source at excess flow rate during toilet flush, then rim flush water can be continuously supplied, but water is wasted and refill time is prolonged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the flow rate parameter of flush water supplied to rim spout holes during toilet flush, reducing it from excess flow rate to an optimized rate that prevents water waste while maintaining sufficient sealing water supply in the discharge trap conduit
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different water supply strategies to different locations: upper spout ports receive water at one flow rate for washing, while lower spout ports receive water at a different optimized flow rate for rim flushing and seal maintenance, allowing localized optimization of water usage
2Quantity of substance
If water is supplied into flush water tank after termination of rim spout, then tank can be refilled, but long time is required until next flush can be performed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by supplying water into the flush water tank during the toilet flush operation itself, rather than waiting until after rim spout terminates. This overlapping timing allows the tank to be partially refilled in advance, reducing the waiting time until the next flush can be performed
Solution Approach 2:
The patent maintains continuity of useful action by having water supply to the tank occur simultaneously with the flush operation, ensuring that the refilling process continues without interruption and maximizes water availability for subsequent flushes
3Productivity
If separate upper and lower spout ports are used with independent valve control, then water usage efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the water supply system into separate controlled pathways: upper spout ports with first on-off valve for washing function, and lower spout ports with second on-off valve for rim flush function. This segmentation allows independent optimization of water usage for each function, improving overall water usage efficiency despite increased structural complexity
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a flush toilet device (1) including: a flush toilet (2); a flush water tank (10); a discharge valve (12) that discharges the flush water stored in the flush water tank; a branching portion (33) that splits flush water supplied from a water supply source into first and second branched flow paths; a first on-off valve (19) provided in the first branched flow path and switches between spout and stop of the flush water from the upper spout port; a second on-off valve (17) provided in the second branched flow path and switches between supply and stop of the flush water into the flush water tank; and a controller (28) that controls the first and second on-off valve so that water is spouted from the upper spout port and is supplied into the flush water tank at a time by opening the first and second on-off valves.