Vacuum Break Valve Stabilizes Flush Water Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional flush water supply devices experience fluctuations in instantaneous flow rates due to the integration of vacuum break and diaphragm valves, leading to unstable refill water amounts and accumulation times in flush toilets.
Innovation Solution
A flush water supply device with a vacuum break valve that moves between an inlet port and a vent port, allowing for a larger flush water passing area, and a filter member with a greater cross-sectional flow area than the orifice, stabilizing the instantaneous flow rates and refill amounts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the vacuum break valve and diaphragm valve are integrally provided, then the device complexity is reduced, but the passage for flush water becomes narrowed causing pressure loss and flow rate fluctuations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates the vacuum break valve from the diaphragm valve, making them independent components. The vacuum break valve is positioned upstream with its own passage, while the diaphragm valve remains downstream. This segmentation prevents the passage narrowing problem caused by integral provision, as each valve operates independently with adequate passage width, thereby stabilizing the instantaneous flow rate while maintaining reasonable device complexity.
2Reliability
If the filter member is provided in the intermediate passage, then water purification is improved, but pressure loss increases causing flow rate fluctuations
Solution Approach 1:
The filter member is positioned in the intermediate passage upstream of the vacuum break valve, performing preliminary filtration before water reaches the valve. This preliminary action removes particles that could cause valve malfunction or passage narrowing over time, ensuring long-term flow rate stability. The filter is designed with sufficient passage area to minimize pressure loss while maintaining effective filtration.
3Volume of moving object
If the vacuum break valve has small moving distance, then the valve structure is compact, but the passage becomes narrowed causing unstable flow rate
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum break valve is designed with a vertical movement dimension rather than horizontal. The valve element moves up and down along the vertical axis, with the lower end moving between a first position (opening the passage) and a second position (closing the passage). This vertical arrangement allows adequate passage width in the horizontal dimension while maintaining compact overall valve size, thereby stabilizing the instantaneous flow rate without increasing valve volume significantly.
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 solution stabilizes the instantaneous flow rate of flush water to the tank and toilet main unit, ensuring consistent refill amounts and reducing water accumulation time.
Implementation Method 1
a vacuum break valve provided in the common passage-forming portion. The vacuum break valve has a valve element for opening and closing the common passage
Implementation Method 2
a filter member with a greater cross-sectional flow area than the orifice, stabilizing the instantaneous flow rate
Implementation Method 3
a water supply valve which is an openable/closable value adapted to be moved to supply and stop flush water with respect to the flush water tank
Data Source
AI summary
A flush water supply device includes: a water supply valve for switching between a water supplying state and a water stopping state with respect of an inside of the flush water tank; a refill water system on a downstream side of the water supply valve and adapted to allow flush water to be supplied to the flush water tank, and further supplied to a toilet main body as refill water, wherein the refill water system includes a common passage-forming portion which forms a common passage having: an inlet port for allowing inflow of the flush water therethrough; a tank-side outlet port for allowing the flush water to flow out toward the flush water tank therethrough; a main unit-side outlet port for allowing the flush water to flow out toward the toilet main body therethrough; and a vent port; and a vacuum break valve in the common passage-forming portion.