Heatable Cistern with Partition Wall for Stable Water Temperature

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing heatable cisterns for intelligent toilets in the European market face challenges in preventing backflow while maintaining stable water temperature due to the EN1717 standard requirements, leading to fluctuating discharge water temperatures and reduced comfort.

Innovation Solution

A heatable cistern design with a partition wall dividing the interior into an upper and lower water chamber, where the heater is placed in the lower chamber, and an overflow opening below the water inlet height, preventing backflow and stabilizing water temperature by isolating warm and cold water layers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If a heating pipe is arranged in the cistern to provide warm water, then the heating function is achieved, but the temperature of the discharged water becomes unstable due to cold water mixing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewater temperatureVSAvoidtemperature stability
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The cistern is divided into an upper water chamber and a lower water chamber using a partition wall. The heater is placed in the lower water chamber, separating the heating function from the cold water storage area. This segmentation prevents cold water from mixing with heated water, stabilizing the discharged water temperature while maintaining effective heating.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If a backflow preventing device with air gap is used, then EN1717 standard compliance is achieved, but the temperature fluctuation increases due to cold water mixing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebackflow preventionVSAvoidtemperature stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The partition wall creates separate upper and lower water chambers. The upper chamber receives cold water through the water inlet, while the lower chamber contains the heater and stores heated water. The overflow opening in the partition wall allows controlled water level management without mixing cold and warm water, maintaining both backflow prevention and temperature stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The partition wall extends vertically through the cistern, creating spatial separation in the vertical dimension. The overflow opening is positioned at a specific height on the partition wall, below the water inlet, to control water levels independently in each chamber. This dimensional approach prevents backflow while isolating temperature zones.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Reliability

If the overflow opening is positioned below the water inlet, then backflow prevention is improved, but water level control becomes more restrictive

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebackflow preventionVSAvoidwater level control
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The overflow opening is positioned on the vertical partition wall at a height below the water inlet. This vertical positioning creates a natural water level differential between the upper and lower chambers, allowing the upper chamber to maintain a higher water level for efficient gravity-fed flow to the lower chamber while preventing backflow into the water supply.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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

This design effectively prevents backflow, stabilizes water temperature, enhances heating efficiency, and ensures consistent hot water discharge, improving user comfort and compliance with EN1717 standards.

Implementation Method 1

a heater (20), with a partition wall (13) being arranged in the body (10), which divides the interior of the body (10) into an upper one Water chamber (14) and a lower water chamber (15) are divided, the heater (20) is arranged in the lower water chamber (15)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectJoule heating: Joule Heating

Implementation Method 2

the partition wall (13) can effectively reduce the influence of the cold water in the upper water chamber (14) on the warm water in the lower water chamber (15), to stabilize the temperature of the water in the lower water chamber (15)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal convection: Convection

Data Source

PatentEP3722525B1Heatable cistern for an intelligent toilet
Publication Date: 2021.10.06 OCEANWELL XIAMEN IND CO LTD
  • EP3722525B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3722525B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3722525B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention discloses a heated cistern for a smart toilet, comprising a body with a water inlet (11) and a water outlet, as well as a heater (20). A partition (13) is provided within the body, dividing the interior into an upper water chamber (14) and a lower water chamber (15). The upper water chamber (14) and the lower water chamber (15) are connected to each other. The heater (20) is located in the lower water chamber (15). The invention prevents overpressure and ensures adequate heating of the water in the lower water chamber (15).