Flush Valve Integrated Cleaning Chamber for Toilet Hygiene Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Toilet bowls and surfaces are prone to mineral deposits, biofilm buildup, and bacterial growth, leading to undesirable odors and hygiene issues, and existing systems fail to effectively address these problems.
Innovation Solution
A toilet system incorporating a chamber within the flush valve that dispenses a compound, such as hydrogen peroxide, combined with flow beads to prevent scale and biofilm, and a delivery system to distribute cleaning compounds, including electrochemical generators for continuous sanitation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a chamber for pellets is integrated into the flush valve, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the cleaning compound storage chamber with the flush valve body, integrating two separate functions (flushing and cleaning) into a single component. This reduces the number of separate parts while maintaining cleaning effectiveness, directly addressing the contradiction between cleaning effectiveness and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The flush valve is designed to perform multiple functions: it controls the flushing water flow and simultaneously stores and dispenses cleaning compounds (pellets) into the bowl. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate cleaning device components, resolving the contradiction by improving cleaning effectiveness without proportionally increasing complexity.
2Reliability
If cleaning compounds are dispensed continuously, then hygiene is improved, but loss of substance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dispenses cleaning compounds periodically during flush cycles rather than continuously. The pellets are released at specific intervals when the flush valve operates, providing hygiene maintenance through periodic treatment while significantly reducing overall consumption compared to continuous dispensing.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning system utilizes the existing flush valve operation and water flow to automatically dispense the cleaning compounds without requiring additional energy input or complex control mechanisms. The system serves itself by using the natural flushing cycles to distribute the cleaning agents, improving hygiene while minimizing substance loss.
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 mineral deposits, biofilm, and bacterial growth, maintaining cleanliness and hygiene for extended periods without manual cleaning, enhancing user safety and toilet functionality.
Implementation Method 1
a compound, such as hydrogen peroxide, combined with flow beads to prevent scale and biofilm
Data Source
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Figure 6A~7
AI summary
A toilet comprising: a bowl; a tank (120) configured to hold water; a flush valve (2903) within the tank, comprising: a valve body (2904) fluidly connecting the tank and the bowl; a float moveable relative to the valve body to open and close the flush valve; and a guide member (2906) coupled to the valve body for guiding movement of the float, wherein the guide member includes a chamber (2913) that is configured to hold a cleaning compound comprising a chemical compound and water; wherein the cleaning compound is dispensed into the bowl through the valve body with the flush valve open.