Rotary Direction Changing Mechanism for Flush Water Tank
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional operating devices for flush water tank assemblies are bulky and difficult to use in low-silhouette designs, requiring a long linear pull-up distance and experiencing variations in flushing mode adjustments, leading to inefficient water usage and improper valve actuation.
Innovation Solution
An operating device with a rotating mechanism that allows users to select between forward and reverse rotation modes, utilizing a rotary wind-up mechanism with a direction changing mechanism and limiting mechanism to maintain consistent rotation direction and reduce variation in wind-up amount, ensuring proper actuation of the discharge valve.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a linkage mechanism with multiple links is used to pull up the wire element vertically upwardly, then the wire element can be moved to the necessary distance to actuate the valve opening mechanism, but the equipment becomes relatively bulky and requires a relatively long linear pull-up distance of movement range
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional linear linkage mechanism with a rotating mechanism that pulls up the wire element in a rotational motion rather than linear motion. The rotating mechanism includes a rotating member that rotates about an axis, and a wire element that is pulled up in the radial direction of rotation, converting the linear pull-up requirement into rotational movement, thereby reducing the device volume and movement range required.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the dimension of motion from linear (one-dimensional) to rotational (two-dimensional circular path). By pulling up the wire element in the radial direction of rotation rather than vertically upward in a straight line, the mechanism achieves the same actuation function with a more compact structure suitable for low-silhouette toilet tanks.
2Volume of moving object
If a rotating mechanism is used to pull up the wire element, then the operating device becomes compact, but the user has to manually adjust the pull-up amount of wire movement to switch between large-scale and small-scale flushing modes, which is very difficult to attain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a dynamic adjustment mechanism where the position of the wire element attachment point on the rotating member can be changed. By providing a wire element attachment portion that can be positioned at different radial distances from the rotation axis, the system dynamically adjusts the pull-up amount based on the attachment position, allowing easy switching between flushing modes without manual adjustment of the wire length.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotating member serves multiple functions: it acts as both the rotating element that pulls up the wire and the positioning mechanism for selecting flushing modes. By integrating the mode selection function into the rotating mechanism itself through adjustable attachment positions, the system achieves multi-functionality with a single component, simplifying the user interface.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a switching mechanism is used where the user operates the operating device in directional mode opposite to forward directional mode to switch between large-scale and small-scale flushing modes, then mode switching is possible, but the rotating mechanism may erroneously return to opposite rotation direction, may not return to predetermined stand-by position, and the amount of rotation cannot be maintained stably
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a feedback mechanism through a return spring that automatically returns the rotating member to a predetermined stand-by position after rotation. The spring is disposed to urge the rotating member toward the stand-by position, providing automatic feedback control that prevents erroneous rotation direction and ensures stable positioning, eliminating the need for manual directional switching.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotating mechanism is designed to automatically return to its stand-by position through the return spring without requiring user intervention. The system serves itself by automatically resetting the rotation position after each flushing operation, ensuring consistent and stable rotational amounts for both flushing modes without manual adjustment or directional control by the user.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an operating device for a flush water tank assembly in a flush toilet as the user can operate operating part toward the one and opposite direction, the rotary direction changing mechanism can change the direction of rotation which is transmitted from the rotating shaft to a rotary wind-up mechanism so that the direction of rotation of the rotary wind-up mechanism can be maintain in a predetermined same direction of rotation. The operating device for the flush water tank assembly includes a drive unit including a rotary wind-up mechanism, a rotary direction changing mechanism for changing the direction of rotation transmitted from the rotating shaft to the rotational wind-up mechanism so that the transmitted direction of rotation can be maintain in accord with a predetermined and fixed direction of rotation, and a limiting mechanism for limiting an angle of rotation of the rotary wind-up mechanism.