EP1028201B1

EP1028201B1 - Device for pumping and triturating of sewage waters of sanitary fittings composed of two units, one of which is removable

Info

Publication number: EP1028201B1
Application number: EP00830079A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Marco Giovannini
Original assignee: Tecma Srl
Current assignee: Tecma Srl
Priority date: 1999-02-12
Filing date: 2000-02-04
Publication date: 2005-08-31
Anticipated expiration: 2020-02-04
Also published as: EP1028201A3; DE60022241T2; EP1028201A2; ES2248035T3; ATE303476T1; DE60022241D1

Abstract

This invention relates to a device for pumping and triturating, wherein the tank collecting the soil and waste water from the WC and other sanitary fittings is contained inside a unit that is permanently fixed to and connected with the WC and the other sanitary fittings, while the pumping, triturating and control equipment are housed inside another unit, which may be easily separated from the former unit and removed, and which is fastened to the former unit by means of appropriate fastening means. <IMAGE>

Description

Technical field

This invention pertains to a device for pumping and triturating sewage water from sanitary fittings, such as WCs, baths, etc., which device is composed of two units, one of which is fixed to the pipework system, while the other is removable, for repair and maintenance purposes.

State of the art

It is well known that sanitary fittings equipped with triturating devices and water-pumping systems are increasingly widespread, because they allow the installation of a WC or an entire bathroom or kitchen even far from the discharge pipe.
similar devices have been described, for example, in EP 0611 851 A, which describe a device for collecting and discharging under pressure the soil and waste water from toilets, and other sanitary fittings, wherein the device essentially comprises a container for collecting the soil and waste water from the WC, and/or other sanitary fittings, a pressure sensor housed inside the container, a pump activated indirectly by this pressure sensor, discharge pipes connected directly to the pump, for discharging the soil and waste water under pressure, the container being completed by a removable cover, which is appropriately sealed to prevent any liquid from leaking or bad odours escaping; the container is divided into two sections by a partition, one of the sections receives the soil and waste waters, the other houses the pump with the pressure switch, the pump motor and all the electrical systems and accessories needed for operation.
FR-A 2.554 842 describes a device for suction, breaking down by centrifugation and evacuation adaptable to a WC, which provides that the discharge of an ordinary WC is connected, by means of a pipe, at the end of which there is an electric pump which sucks and triturates the soil and waste and conveys it into a smaller pipe, the pump being accessible from the outside for maintenance purposes.
It is equally known that the soil and waste waters collected by the pumping and triturating devices largely contain solid organic residues, toilet paper and the like, which frequently determine the clogging or failure of the triturating and pumping devices and thus require periodical maintenance.
Currently, in order to clean, unclog or perform any other maintenance operation on the devices, it is necessary to remove the WC, disconnecting the soil pipe and the waste water ipes from the other appliances; this operation may be carried out only by a plumber and is an expensive and time-consuming operation.
The devices described in EP 0611 851 and FR 2.554.842 provide that, in the case of clogging or blacking of the pump, although it is possible to access the pump by removing covers or carters, the intervention of a qualified technician is required because it is not possible to remove the triturating and pumping devices without disconnecting the hydraulic components from the system.

Description of the invention

This invention relates to a pumping and triturating device wherein the tank collecting the soil and waste waters from the WC and the other sanitary fittings is housed inside a first unit that is permanently fixed to the discharge pipework and the WC, while the other pumping, triturating and control equipment is housed inside a second removable unit, the two units being fastened by means of an appropriate fastening.
Pratically speaking, in the event of failures or for maintenance purposes, this invention permits the separation of the removable pumping and triturating unit from the fixed water-collection tank, thus preventing the need to disconnect the WC from the soil and waste pipes. This means that it is not necessary to call a plumber, but the owner may personally disconnect the pumping and triturating unit from the water-collection unit and take it to the service centre for the necessary cleaning or maintenance and/or overhauling.
According to another embodiment of this invention, the pumping and triturating equipment are housed in a special chamber located between the two above mentioned units. By disconnecting the two units it is possible to inspect the inside of the chamber.
The owner does not need to call a plumber and may personally easily disconnect the removable unit and remove any residues clogging the sevage pump, or reducing its functionality.
Also in the event of a mechanical failure other than clogging, the owner may disconnect the removable unit from the fixed one, sending it or taking it personally to the service centre for the necessary repairs.
Therefore, the owner need not call a plumber, forexpensive and time-consuming operations, and any problems affecting the pumping and triturating device may be remedied without having to touch the pipework or the sanitary fittings.

Brief description of the drawings

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 shows a cross-section of the device.
Figure 2 shows a cross-section of the two separate units.
Figure 3 shows a schematic view of the installed device, with the separate pumping and triturating units.
Figure 4 shows a cross-section of the two separate units composing the device, where the pumping and trituration take place in a chamber located between the two units.
Figure 5 shows a schematic view of the device, where the pumping and trituration take place in a chamber located between the two units and installed with a separate removable unit.
Figure 6 shows a schematic view of how the device is connected, where the pumping and trituration take place in a chamber located between the two units and installed with a separate removable unit.

Detailed description

Referring to the drawings 1, 2 and 3, the pumping and triturating device for sanitary fittings comprises two units. The first unit (1) which is permanently fixed to the discharge pipework and the WC is composed of: a collection tank (2) for the soil water pipe (3) from the WC and for the waste water pipe (4) from the other sanitary fittings; the discharge pipe (5) and the air-trap for the pressure switch (7); at the inlet (6) of the discharge pipe (5), at the inlet (7b) of the pressure-switch and at the inlet (8) of the motor pump the first unit (1) features the female couplings for the corresponding male couplings (9) of the second removable unit (10); the first unit (1) is also provided with a stop nut (11), or the like, for the screw (12) for securing the first unit (1) and the second removable unit (10) together. The second removable unit (10), as mentioned above, contains the motor pump (13), the water-level pressure switch of the water tank (14), and the pipe (15) connecting the motor pump (13) and the discharge pipe (5). Electri/electronic devices connected to audible and visual alarms may be provided for between the first unit (1) and the second removable unit (10), for signalling any mistakes in the position of the two units or any sealing failures between the two units; these devices may also stop the motor pump in the above mentioned cases.
Each coupling is provided with a sealing ring (16), and there may also be gaskets between the first unit (1) and the second removable unit (10).
As previously mentioned, in the event of the clogging or failure of the device, it shall be possible to remove the second removable unit (10), containing the pump, the triturator and the pressure switch, simply by unscrewing the screw (12) and separating it from the first unit (1), to which all the pipes are fastened, it may then be taken to a service centre for the necessary repairs, maintenance or overhauling, saving a lot of time and money.
Obviously, the male and female couplings between the devices and the screw fastening the first unit (1) and the second removable unit (10), as well as the electric/electronic devices for signalling the incorrect position of the two units, may differ from those described and illustrated in this invention, in accordance with the shape or other characteristics of the embodiment.
Referring to figures 4, 5 and 6, the pumping and triturating device comprises two units. The first unit (1) is composed of: a collection tank (2) for the soil water pipe (3) from the WC and for the waste water pipe (4) from the other sanitary fittings; the discharge pipe (5) and the air-trap for the pressure switch (7) connected, by means of the coupling (7B), to the pressure switch (14) hosed in the second removable unit (10), the triturating and pumping chamber (17); the second removable unit (10) contains the discharge pump (13), the triturator with blades, the pressure switch (14) and the screw (12) fastening the two units together.
Electric/electronic devices connected to audible and visual alarms may be provided for between the first unit (1) and the second removable unit (10), for signalling any mistakes in the position of the two units or any sealing failures between the two units; these devices may also stop the motor pump in the above mentioned cases.
Each coupling shall be provided with a gasket or sealing ring.
As previously mentioned, in the event of clogging or failure, it shall be possible to clean the chamber and, in particular, as shown in figures 4 and 5, to remove any waste obstructing the trituration and pumping chamber (17) simply by unscrewing the screw (12) and separating the first unit (1), to which all the pipes are fastened, from the second removable unit (10), containing the pump, the triturator with its blades and the pressure switch; it shall also be possible to take the second removable unit (10) to a service centre for any repairs, maintenance or overhauling and then to put it back in its place.

Claims

A device for pumping and triturating sewage water for sanitary fittings comprising:

a soil and waste water collection tank (2);

a soil water pipe from the WC (3);

a waste water pipe from the other sanitary fittings (4);

a discharge pipe (5);

an air-trap for the pressure switch (7);

a motor pump (13) and triturator;

a pressure switch for controlling the level of water in the collection tank:

a pipe (15) for connecting the motor pump (13) with the discharge pipe (5);

wherein the soil and waste water collection tank (2), the soil water pipe (3) from the WC, the waste water pipe from the other sanitary fittings (4), the discharge pipe (5), the air-trap for the pressure switch (7), are housed in a first unit (1) which is permanently fixed to the discharge pipework and the WC integral with the pipes coupled with the WC, with the other sanitary fittings, and with the discharge pipe; and the motor pump (13) with the triturator, the pressure switch (14) for controlling the level of water in the collection tank, the pipe (15) for connecting the motor pump (13) with the discharge pipe (5), are housed in a second removable unit (10), which is connected to and separable from the first unit (1) by mechanical means, such as male couplings (9) on the second removable unit (10) and female couplings (6, 7b, 8) on the first unit (1) and screws (12) on the second removable unit (10) engaging with a stop nut (11) on the first unit (1), each coupling is provided with a sealing ring (16).
A device for pumping and triturating sewage water for sanitary fittings as claimed in Claim 1, wherein electrical/electronic devices are provided to signal the defective coupling between the first unit (1) and the second removable unit (10).
A device for pumping and triturating sewage water for sanitary fittings as claimed in claim 1 wherein by separating the first unit (1) from the second removable unit (10) it shall be possible to inspect and clean the trituration and pumping chamber (17).