Flush Valve Cleaning Compound Dispensing for Hygienic Toilets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Toilets and their accessories often suffer from scale buildup, odor issues, and bacterial contamination due to mineral deposits and biofilm, which traditional cleaning methods fail to effectively address, leading to poor hygiene and health concerns.
Innovation Solution
A toilet system incorporating a flush valve with a guide member that dispenses a cleaning compound, including a chemical and water, into the bowl, along with a sensor to monitor concentration and an indicator for replenishment, ensuring consistent cleaning and hygiene.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional cleaning methods are used, then manual cleaning effort is required, but cleaning effectiveness is insufficient due to scale buildup and biofilm
Solution Approach 1:
The toilet system automatically dispenses cleaning compounds without manual intervention. The guide member with chamber stores cleaning compound and releases it during flushing cycles, enabling the toilet to clean itself continuously without requiring users to manually apply cleaners
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning compound is pre-loaded into the guide member chamber before use. This preliminary preparation ensures that cleaning agents are readily available and automatically applied at the appropriate moment during flushing, preventing scale buildup before it becomes problematic
2Reliability
If cleaning compounds are dispensed into the bowl, then cleanliness is improved, but the system complexity increases with additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The guide member is integrated directly into the flush valve assembly, combining the flushing mechanism and cleaning compound delivery system into a single unified component. This merging approach adds cleaning functionality without requiring separate complex delivery systems
Solution Approach 2:
The guide member serves multiple functions: it guides the flapper valve during flushing and simultaneously stores and dispenses cleaning compounds. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity by consolidating components that perform both mechanical and cleaning roles
3Manufacturing precision
If cleaning compound concentration is monitored, then cleaning consistency is improved, but measurement and control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor monitors cleaning compound concentration in real-time and provides feedback to the control system. When concentration falls below the threshold, the system automatically triggers replenishment, ensuring consistent cleaning effectiveness without manual intervention
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically detects when cleaning compound needs replenishment and performs the replenishment action without user intervention. The indicator light alerts users when manual refilling is needed, making the monitoring and maintenance process self-service oriented
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 reduces scale buildup, odors, and bacterial presence, maintaining improved cleanliness and hygiene by regularly dispensing cleaning agents into the toilet bowl and surrounding areas.
Implementation Method 1
The chamber is configured to hold a cleaning compound including a chemical compound and water
Implementation Method 2
The toilet may include a sensor, which may be disposed in the flush valve to measure a concentration of the cleaning compound
Data Source
AI summary
A toilet that includes a tank configured to hold water from a water supply; a reservoir fluidly connected to the tank and configured to hold a cleaning compound comprising a chemical compound and water from the water supply; and an actuator configured to control a flush cycle of the toilet upon a first activation, the actuator including at least one nozzle fluidly connected to the reservoir and configured to discharge an amount of the cleaning compound external to the tank upon at least one of the first activation or a second activation.