Flush water tank assembly, and flush toilet with flush water tank assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9745729-B2
Application number	US-201414229629-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 28, 2014
Priority date	Mar 29, 2013
Publication date	Aug 29, 2017
Grant date	Aug 29, 2017

Abstract

A flush water tank assembly includes: a flush water supply device for switching between a water supplying state and a water stopping state with respect of an inside of the water storage tank in terms of flush water; a small tank attached to the flush water supply device and configured to hold therein flush water; an openable and closable valve for opening and closing an opening in the bottom wall of the small tank; a float movable upwardly and downwardly according to change in water level within the small tank; and a water discharge valve device for opening and closing a water discharge port of the water storage tank, and the openable and closable valve has an auxiliary float element configured to be moved upwardly and downwardly according to change in water level within the small tank.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A flush water tank assembly for supplying flush water to a toilet main unit, comprising:
a flush water tank storing therein flush water to be supplied to the toilet main unit and having a water discharge port provided in a bottom wall thereof;
a water supply unit which comprises a water supply pipe having an upstream end connected to a water supply source outside the flush water tank, and 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, in terms of flush water supplied from the water supply pipe;
a water compartment attached to the water supply unit and configured to hold therein flush water;
an openable and closable valve for opening and closing an opening formed in a lateral wall or a bottom wall of the water compartment;
a float provided inside the water compartment in such a manner to define therein an internal space for generating buoyancy and become movable upwardly and downwardly according to change in water level within the water compartment, and configured such that, when the water compartment is in an empty state, air is reversibly replaceable between the internal space and a space outside the float;
a swingable member having one end connected to the float and the other end connected to the water supply valve of the water supply unit, the swingable member being configured to open and close the water supply valve according to the upward and downward movements of the float;
a water discharge valve provided to operatively open and close the water discharge port of the flush water tank, in such a manner as to, when it opens the water discharge port, cause flush water in the flush water tank to be discharged to the toilet main unit, and, when it closes the water discharge port, cause flush water to be stored in the flush water tank; and
drainable water increasing means including an auxiliary float element configured to be moved upwardly and downwardly according to change in water level within the water compartment to thereby cause the openable and closable valve to be opened and closed, wherein the drainable water increasing means, after the water level within the water compartment passes through a water level position at a time when or after the water discharge valve closes the water discharge port, increases a speed of lowering of the water level within the water compartment to thereby increase a flow rate of flush water drainable from the opening of the water compartment into the flush water tank.

2. The flush water tank assembly as defined in claim 1 , wherein the drainable water increasing means is capable of causing an opening area of the opening of the water compartment in a course of opening or closing the opening by the openable and closable valve to be changed to thereby increase the flow rate of flush water drainable from the opening of the water compartment into the flush water tank.

3. The flush water tank assembly as defined in claim 2 , wherein the opening of the water compartment is a single opening formed in the bottom wall of the water compartment, and wherein the drainable water increasing means includes the single opening in the bottom wall of the water compartment, the openable and closable valve configured to open and close the single opening, and the auxiliary float element provided on the openable and closable valve, and
wherein the openable and closable valve includes: a buoyancy generating portion for generating buoyancy based on flush water in the flush water tank; a valve portion for opening and closing the single opening; and a support portion extending upwardly from the valve portion and having an upper end provided with the auxiliary float element, the support portion having a large diameter segment extending upwardly from the valve portion and insertable into the single opening, and a small diameter segment extending upwardly from the large diameter segment and insertable into the single opening, the small diameter segment having a cross-section less than that of the large diameter segment, whereby the opening area of the single opening is changed when the large diameter segment and the small diameter segment of the support portion are moved upwardly and downwardly.

4. The flush water tank assembly as defined in claim 2 , wherein: the opening of the water compartment includes a first opening formed in a lateral wall or a bottom wall of the water compartment, and a second opening formed in the bottom wall of the water compartment, in addition to the first opening; the openable and closable valve includes a first openable and closable valve for opening and closing the first opening, and a second openable and closable valve for opening and closing the second opening, and the drainable water increasing means includes the second opening, the second openable and closable valve, and the auxiliary float element provided on the second openable and closable valve, and wherein the second openable and closable valve includes a valve portion for opening and closing the second opening, and a support portion extending upwardly from the valve portion and insertable into the second opening, and wherein the auxiliary float element is provided on an upper end of the support portion, the auxiliary float element being configured such that, after the water level within the water compartment passes through a water level position at a time when or after the water discharge valve closes the water discharge port, it is lowered by losing its buoyancy.

5. A flush toilet comprising the flush water tank assembly as defined in claim 1 .

Assignees

• Toto Ltd

Inventors

• Yamasaki Atsuko
• Kubozono Yukinori

Classifications

• E03D1/32

  Arrangement of inlet valves (devices for reducing noise E03D9/14 {; noise-reducing means E03D11/00}) · CPC title

• E03D1/33 Primary

  Adaptations or arrangements of floats (actuating-floats in general F16K33/00) · CPC title