Automatic flushing mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9447571-B2
Application number	US-201514673368-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 30, 2015
Priority date	Mar 31, 2014
Publication date	Sep 20, 2016
Grant date	Sep 20, 2016

Abstract

An automatic flushing mechanism includes an electronic control box containing a motor and an intermittent motion gear coupled to a rotation shaft of the motor. The intermittent motion gear is configured to rotate when the motor is operated. The intermittent motion gear includes a toothed portion including a plurality of gear teeth. The automatic flushing mechanism includes an intermittent motion pendulum rod including a first end pivotally attached to the electronic control box via a rotation shaft, a second end coupled to a flush valve, and a curved rack including a plurality of rack teeth which mesh with the gear teeth of the intermittent motion gear. Rotation of the intermittent motion gear causes the curved rack to be lifted upward, thereby rotating the intermittent motion pendulum rod about the rotation shaft and lifting the flush valve.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic flushing mechanism for a toilet that includes a water tank and a flush valve configured to be lifted from a bottom of the water tank to release flush water from the water tank, the automatic flushing mechanism comprising:
an electronic control box containing a motor;
an intermittent motion gear coupled to a rotation shaft of the motor and configured to rotate when the motor is operated, the intermittent motion gear comprising a toothed portion including a plurality of gear teeth;
an intermittent motion pendulum rod comprising a first end pivotally attached to the electronic control box via a rotation shaft, a second end coupled to the flush valve, and a curved rack including a plurality of rack teeth which mesh with the gear teeth of the intermittent motion gear;
wherein rotation of the intermittent motion gear causes the curved rack to be lifted upward, thereby rotating the intermittent motion pendulum rod about the rotation shaft and lifting the flush valve;
wherein the intermittent motion gear comprises a toothless top portion along a rim of the intermittent motion gear in series with the toothed portion;
wherein a bottom tooth of the curved rack remains in contact with and slides along the toothless top portion as the intermittent motion gear rotates after the bottom tooth disengages from the toothed portion.

2. The automatic flushing mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the intermittent motion gear comprises a smooth toothless root portion along a rim of the intermittent motion gear in series with the toothed portion.

3. The automatic flushing mechanism of claim 2 , wherein a gap is formed between the smooth toothless root portion and the curved rack when the smooth toothless portion faces the curved rack.

4. The automatic flushing mechanism of claim 2 , wherein the intermittent motion gear rotates through a cycle comprising:
a lifting phase during which the toothed portion meshes with the curved rack and causes the curved rack to be lifted upward as the intermittent motion gear rotates; and
a falling phase during which the smooth toothless root portion faces toward the curved rack and the intermittent motion gear is separated from the curved rack, causing the curved rack to fall downward.

5. The automatic flushing mechanism of claim 1 , wherein a distance from an outer edge of the toothless top portion to a center of the intermittent motion gear is greater than a distance from the rim of the intermittent motion gear to the center of the intermittent motion gear.

6. The automatic flushing mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the intermittent motion gear rotates through a cycle comprising:
a lifting phase during which the toothed portion meshes with the curved rack and causes the curved rack to be lifted upward as the intermittent motion gear rotates; and
a holding phase during which the toothless top portion holds the curved rack in a lifted position.

7. The automatic flushing mechanism of claim 6 , wherein the cycle further comprises a falling phase during which the intermittent motion gear disengages from the curved rack, causing the curved rack to fall downward.

8. The automatic flushing mechanism of claim 1 , wherein:
the intermittent motion gear rotates in a first rotational direction; and
the intermittent motion pendulum rod initially rotates in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction as the intermittent motion gear rotates in the first rotational direction, and then switches to rotate in the first rotational direction as the intermittent motion gear continues to rotate in the first direction.

9. The automatic flushing mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the automatic flushing mechanism is located within the water tank.

10. An automatic flushing mechanism, comprising:
an electric appliance control box comprising a motor;
an intermittent motion gear comprising a toothed portion provided along a rim of the intermittent motion gear, the toothed portion comprising at least one gear tooth, wherein the intermittent motion gear is driven by the motor; and
an intermittent motion pendulum rod connected, on one end thereof, to a flush valve through a chain, and connected, on another end thereof, to a rotation shaft which is fixed on the electric appliance control box, wherein the intermittent motion pendulum rod is rotated around the rotation shaft and comprises a curved rack which meshes with the toothed portion of the intermittent motion gear, wherein the intermittent motion pendulum rod is provided with a groove which contains the intermittent motion gear, wherein the curved rack is provided on one side of the groove.

11. The automatic flushing mechanism of claim 10 , further comprising a position-limit device which is fixed on the electric appliance control box and limits movement of the intermittent motion pendulum rod.

12. The automatic flushing mechanism of claim 10 , wherein the intermittent motion gear comprises a smooth toothless root portion along the rim of the intermittent motion gear.

13. The automatic flushing mechanism of claim 12 , wherein a gap is formed between the smooth toothless root portion and the curved rack.

14. An automatic flushing mechanism, comprising:
an electric appliance control box comprising a motor;
an intermittent motion gear comprising a toothed portion provided along a rim of the intermittent motion gear, the toothed portion comprising at least one gear tooth, wherein the intermittent motion gear is driven by the motor; and
an intermittent motion pendulum rod connected, on one end thereof, to a flush valve through a chain, and connected, on another end thereof, to a rotation shaft which is fixed on the electric appliance control box, wherein the intermittent motion pendulum rod is rotated around the rotation shaft and comprises a curved rack which meshes with the toothed portion of the intermittent motion gear;
wherein:
the intermittent motion gear is rotated until the toothed portion meshes with the curved rack;
a tooth top arc of a first gear tooth which the toothed portion adopts to mesh with the curved rack is greater than a tooth top arc of any other gear tooth of the toothed portion; and
a tooth top arc of a second rack tooth which the curved rack adopts to mesh with the toothed portion is greater than a tooth top arc of any other rack tooth of the curved rack.

15. The automatic flushing mechanism of claim 10 , wherein:
the intermittent motion gear comprises a smooth toothless top portion adjacent to the toothed portion along the rim of the intermittent motion gear; and
a distance from an edge of the toothless top portion to a center of the intermittent motion gear is greater than a distance from the rim of the intermittent motion gear to center of the intermittent motion gear.

16. The automatic flushing mechanism of claim 15 , wherein a bottom tooth of the curved rack remains in contact with and slides along the toothless top portion as the intermittent motion gear rotates after the bottom tooth disengages from the toothed portion.

17. The automatic flushing mechanism of claim 15 , wherein the toothless top portion occupies between one-half and three-fourths of the rim of the intermittent motion gear.

Assignees

• Shanghai Kohler Electronics

Inventors

• Yihua Wang

Classifications

• E03F5/105

  Accessories, e.g. flow regulators or cleaning devices · CPC title

• E03D5/10 Primary

  operated electrically (E03D5/01, E03D5/12 take precedence), {e.g. by a photo-cell; also combined with devices for opening or closing shutters in the bowl outlet and/or with devices for raising/or lowering seat and cover and/or for swiveling the bowl} · CPC title