EP4428314A1

EP4428314A1 - Toilet bowl

Info

Publication number: EP4428314A1
Application number: EP23382229.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Miguel Angel Munar Saura
Original assignee: Roca Sanitario SA
Current assignee: Roca Sanitario SA
Priority date: 2023-03-10
Filing date: 2023-03-10
Publication date: 2024-09-11

Abstract

Toilet bowl (1) comprising a basin with an inner wall (10), an inlet port (20) located at an upper peripheral portion of the inner wall (10) and a siphon (30), wherein the inner wall (10) comprises a bottom portion (11) and a spiral surface (12) configured to guide flushing water from the inlet port (20) downwardly to a front section of the bottom portion (11), each surface radial section (S1-S9) of the spiral surface (12) being defined by a substantially flat portion, wherein the spiral surface (12) comprises a first longitudinal surface portion (121) and a second longitudinal surface portion (122), wherein the absolute inclination (12A) at each surface radial section (S1-S5) of the first longitudinal surface portion (121) is lower than the absolute inclination (12A) at each surface radial section (S7-S9) of the second longitudinal surface portion (122).

Description

The present invention relates generally to toilet bowls and, more particularly, to toilet bowls comprising a spiral surface for directing the flushing water from a peripheral inlet port down to a bottom portion of its basin.

State of the art

Toilets having a water spiral path in the toilet bowl are known in the state of the art. Documents EP3412840A1 and WO2022175298A1 disclose toilets having a forward tangential entry of the flushing water into the basin and a spiral surface which assists the rotating movement of the flushing water prior to the exit through a common siphon. EP3085842A1 discloses a toilet bowl having a spiral surface, although it is linked to an unusual siphon.
This kind of toilets having spiral surfaces work particularly quietly, as the water do not crash vertically against the basin bottom, while reducing aerosol droplets, which may carry virus or bacteria.
Nevertheless, flushing results to be achieved by small water downloads are not still fulfilled in this kind of toilets because water lacks enough vertical speed at the end of the central spiral path for getting over the slope of common siphons. Therefore, the need for an efficient central spiral path is still unsolved by the state of the art.

Description of the invention

The object of the present invention is to provide a toilet bowl with a further optimized inner wall shape. The claimed toilet bowl comprises:

a basin with an inner wall and an inlet port located at an upper peripheral portion of the inner wall for directing flushing water at a forward tangential direction of the inner wall,
a siphon located at a lower rear part of the toilet bowl and fluidically linked to a bottom portion of the inner wall, so the siphon defines an outlet port and a water level inside the bottom portion of the inner wall.

Specifically, the inner wall comprises a spiral surface configured to guide flushing water from the inlet port downwardly to a front section of its bottom portion in more than one spiral turn and less than two spiral turns. The spiral surface is defined by a central spiral path and consecutive surface radial sections, each surface radial section being defined by a substantially flat portion or, preferably, almost every surface radial section comprising at least a substantially flat portion. At each surface radial section, the spiral surface has an absolute inclination determined by a combination of a tangential component inclination and a radial component inclination, the tangential component inclination being defined at the forward or longitudinal direction of the spiral surface and the radial component inclination being defined at the substantially flat portion's direction (i.e., perpendicular to the tangential component inclination). The tangential component inclination has a main effect on the speed of the water, while the radial component inclination also has an effect on the direction of the water, which at the same time has an effect on the width occupied by the water.
Unlike the toilet bowls known in the prior art, the claimed toilet bowl is characterized in that the spiral surface comprises:

a first longitudinal portion comprising at least half a spiral turn starting at the inlet port, wherein the absolute inclination at each surface radial section is lower than a first predetermined inclination value, and
a second longitudinal portion comprising at least a quarter of a spiral turn, wherein the absolute inclination at each of its surface radial sections is between a second predetermined inclination value and a maximum predetermined inclination value, the second predetermined inclination value being higher than said first predetermined inclination value.

At the proposed toilet bowl, the absolute inclination at each surface radial section of the first longitudinal surface portion has a low value, while the absolute inclination at each surface radial section of the second longitudinal surface portion is higher. Therefore, the first longitudinal portion, enables the spiral surface to hold the water enough spiral turns for cleaning the whole inner wall, while the second longitudinal portion, instead, provides the necessary inclination for accelerating the water downwardly enough to get over the slope of the siphon. As a result, small water downloads may be used without losing flushing efficiency and quietness on toilet bowls having spiral flushing paths.
According to an embodiment, the spiral surface comprises a transition portion between the first longitudinal surface portion and the second longitudinal surface portion, the transition portion comprising less than a quarter of a spiral turn (i.e., occupies an angular portion of the central spiral path of less than 90°), preferably less than 75°, wherein the absolute inclination at each of its surface radial sections is equal or higher than the first predetermined inclination value and equal or lower than the second predetermined inclination value. Thanks to this transition portion, the spiral surface's inclination between the first longitudinal surface portion and the second longitudinal surface portion may be gradual. Preferably, the transition portion may be located in between an angular portion of the central spiral path starting at 215° and ending at 315° from the inlet port, preferably between 225° and 300°, so located near the longitudinal half of the spiral surface.
According to an embodiment, the first predetermined inclination value is equal or less than 40°, preferably equal or less than 33°.
According to an embodiment, the second predetermined inclination value is equal or more than 40°, preferably equal or more than 44°. It may be understood that there is no transition portion when the second predetermined inclination value is equal to the first predetermined inclination value.
According to an embodiment, the maximum predetermined inclination value is equal or less than 80°, preferably equal or less than 75°.
According to an embodiment, wherein the toilet bowl has a wall hang configuration, the second predetermined inclination value is 44° and the maximum predetermined inclination value is 64°.
According to an embodiment, wherein the toilet bowl has a floor standing configuration, the second predetermined inclination value is 55° and the maximum predetermined inclination value is 75°.
According to an embodiment, a maximum value of radial component inclination of the spiral surface is given for an abruptest surface radial section located in between an angular portion of the central spiral path starting at 240° and ending at 330° from the inlet port. Therefore, the radial component inclination of the surface radial sections following the abruptest surface radial section is equal or less than said maximum value of radial component inclination. For example, the radial component inclination of each surface radial section of the first longitudinal portion may increase from nearly 0° at the inlet port up to the maximum value of radial component inclination of the abruptest surface radial section, which may be located at the end of the first longitudinal, at the transition portion or at the beginning of the second longitudinal portion. In a preferred implementation, the maximum radial component inclination is comprised between 50° and 75°. Preferably, the radial component inclination of the surface radial sections of the second longitudinal portion following the abruptest surface radial section is decreasing. For example, the radial component inclination at the surface radial section located at the end of the second longitudinal portion is lower than 45°.
Advantageously, the first longitudinal portion has a maximum width between 60 mm and 100 mm, preferably between 70 mm and 90 mm. Furthermore, the second longitudinal portion may have a maximum width between 80 mm and 120 mm, preferably between 90 mm and 110 mm. Furthermore, the second longitudinal portion may have a minimum width between 40 mm and 80 mm, preferably between 50 mm and 70 mm.
According to an embodiment, the spiral surface guides the flushing water in more than one and a quarter spiral turn. According to another embodiment, the spiral surface guides the flushing water in less than one and three-quarter spiral turns, and more preferably in less than one and a half spiral turns.
According to an embodiment, the spiral surface comprises a last longitudinal surface portion following the second longitudinal surface portion, wherein the absolute inclination at each of its surface radial sections is lower than the second predetermined inclination value.
In another embodiment, the inner wall comprises a steep wall portion joined to the inner edge of the spiral surface at least for one spiral turn. In other words, the inner wall includes a steep wall provided between the first spiral turn and the rest of the spiral surface and or the bottom portion of the inner wall (i.e., a part of the steep wall portion may be merged to the wall of the bottom portion). Thanks to the high inclination of the steep wall, the width of the spiral surface is optimized A peripheral wall also exists at the top portion of the inner wall, which is joined to the outer edge of the spiral surface.
According to an embodiment, said bottom portion of the inner wall comprises a siphon wall portion adjacent to the siphon, the siphon wall portion being substantially flat. Preferably, said siphon wall portion has a thickness of less than 20 mm. In a preferred embodiment, the external edge of the spiral surface is tangential to a wall of the bottom portion.
According to an embodiment, the width of the spiral surface and the radius of the central spiral path at each surface radial section are proportionally related (i.e., when the radius is increased, the width is increased and vice versa), when seen at an overhead projection of the spiral surface, for at least half a spiral turn, preferably between half a spiral turn and three quarters of a spiral turn. Thanks to this configuration, the spiral surface has enough width for keeping the water on it when the water spreads due to an increase of the central spiral path's radius. On the other hand, spiral surface proportions are optimized by reducing the width of the spiral surface when the central spiral path's radius is smaller, taking advantage of that rotational inertia making the water to accumulate at a reduced width.

Brief description of the drawings

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of an embodiment of the present toilet bowl.
FIG. 2 shows a cross-section view taken along line II-II in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 shows a cross-section view taken along line III-III in FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 shows a cross-section view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 1.

Description of preferred embodiments

An embodiment of the toilet bowl (1) of the present invention is described below, with reference to figures 1 to 4.
Figure 1 shows a top view of a wall hanging configuration of the toilet bowl (1), which comprises:

a basin with an inner wall (10) and an inlet port (20) located at an upper peripheral portion of the inner wall (10) for directing flushing water at a forward tangential direction of the inner wall (10),
a siphon (30) located at a lower rear part of the toilet bowl (1) and fluidically linked to a bottom portion (11) of the inner wall (10).

The inner wall (10) comprises a spiral surface (12) configured to guide flushing water from the inlet port (20) downwardly to a front section of said bottom portion (11) in more than one spiral turn and less than two spiral turns.
As seen at figure 1, the spiral surface (12) is defined a central spiral path (120) and consecutive surface radial sections (S1-S9) perpendicular to the central spiral path (120). Each surface radial section (S1-S9) defined by a substantially flat portion and has an absolute inclination (12A) determined by a combination of a tangential component inclination (12T) and a radial component inclination (12R). Numeral references represented at figure 1 regarding the absolute inclination (12A), the tangential component inclination (12T) and the radial component inclination (12R) are shown just for clarification of the corresponding direction vector of the inclination and not to the direction vector of any surface radial section (S1-S9) in particular.
The spiral surface (12) of this toilet bowl (1) comprises:

a first longitudinal surface portion (121) starting at the inlet port (20) and comprising an angular portion of 235° (i.e., a little more than three quarters of a turn), wherein the absolute inclination (12A) at each surface radial section (S1-S5) increases from nearly 10° at the inlet port up to a first predetermined inclination value of 33° given at its last surface radial section (S5),
a transition portion (123) comprising the angular portion of the spiral surface (12) going from 235° to 280°, wherein the absolute inclination (12A) increases from said first predetermined inclination value up to a maximum predetermined inclination value of 64° given at its last surface radial section, which coincides with the abruptest surface radial section (S6),
a second longitudinal surface portion (122) following the transition portion (123) and comprising the angular portion of the spiral surface (12) going from 280° to 450°, wherein the absolute inclination (12A) at each of its surface radial sections (S7-S9) decreases from said maximum predetermined inclination value of the abruptest surface radial section (S6) to a second predetermined inclination value of 44°,
a last longitudinal surface portion (124) following the second longitudinal surface portion (122), wherein the absolute inclination (12A) at each of its surface radial sections is lower than said second predetermined inclination value.

In the present embodiment, flushing water is discharged from the inlet port (20) to the inside of the basin and flows down while swirling along the spiral surface (12). Flushing water advances through the first longitudinal surface portion (121) at more or less the same speed than the incoming speed at the inlet port (20). At the same time, the low radial component inclination (12R) of the first longitudinal surface portion (121) keeps the water circulating peripherally at the inner wall (10), which helps cleaning the whole first longitudinal surface portion (121). The flushing water, instead, starts accelerating when arriving at the transition portion (123) and keeps accelerating even more through the second longitudinal surface portion (121) before arriving the last longitudinal surface portion (124), which directs the flushing water tangentially to the bottom portion (11) of the inner wall (10). Thanks to this configuration, the flushing water gains the speed enough for getting over the slope of the siphon (30).
As it can be seen in figures 2 to 4, each surface radial section (S1-S9) of this embodiment is defined by a substantially flat portion. The radial component inclination (12R) of the consecutive surface radial sections (S1-S9) increases from 13° near the inner port (20) up to a maximum value for an abruptest surface radial section (S6) located at 280° from the inlet port (20). After the abruptest surface radial section (S6), the radial component inclination (12R) of the spiral surface (12) decreases to an inclination of 15° at the surface radial section (S9) located at the end of the second longitudinal portion (122).
Moreover, the inner wall (10) comprises a steep wall portion (13) joined to the inner edge of the spiral surface starting at the inlet port (20) and ending at the bottom portion (11). Besides, the inner wall (10) comprises a peripheral wall (14)joined to the outer edge of the spiral surface (12) all around the basin.
As it may be inferred from figure 1, the width of the spiral surface (12) and the radius of the central spiral path (120) are proportionally related at each surface radial section (S3-S7) of three half of a turn when seen at an overhead projection of the spiral surface (12).

Claims

Toilet bowl (1) comprising a basin with an inner wall (10) and an inlet port (20) located at an upper peripheral portion of the inner wall (10) for directing flushing water at a forward tangential direction of the inner wall (10), the toilet bowl (1) comprising a siphon (30) located at a lower rear part of the toilet bowl (1) and fluidically linked to a bottom portion (11) of the inner wall (10), wherein the inner wall (10) comprises a spiral surface (12) configured to guide flushing water from the inlet port (20) downwardly to a front section of said bottom portion (11) in more than one spiral turn and less than two spiral turns, the spiral surface (12) being defined by a central spiral path (120) and consecutive surface radial sections (S1-S9) perpendicular to the central spiral path (120), each surface radial section (S1-S9) being defined by a substantially flat portion, the spiral surface (12) having an absolute inclination (12A) given at each surface radial section (S1-S9) and determined by a tangential component inclination (12T) and a radial component inclination (12R), the toilet bowl (1) being characterized in that the spiral surface (12) comprises:
- a first longitudinal surface portion (121) starting at the inlet port (20) and comprising at least half a spiral turn, wherein the absolute inclination (12A) at each of its surface radial sections (S1-S5) is lower than a first predetermined inclination value, and

- a second longitudinal surface portion (122) comprising at least a quarter of a spiral turn, wherein the absolute inclination (12A) at each of its surface radial sections (S7-S9) is between a second predetermined inclination value and a maximum predetermined inclination value, the second predetermined inclination value being higher than said first predetermined inclination value.
Toilet bowl (1) according to claim 1, wherein the spiral surface (12) comprises a transition portion (123) between the first longitudinal surface portion (121) and the second longitudinal surface portion (122), the transition portion (123) comprising less than a quarter of a spiral turn, wherein the absolute inclination (12A) at each of its surface radial sections (S6) is equal or higher than the first predetermined inclination value and equal or lower than the second predetermined inclination value.
Toilet bowl (1) according to claim 2, wherein the transition portion (123) is located in between an angular portion of the central spiral path (120) starting at 225° and ending at 300° from the inlet port (20).
Toilet bowl (1) according to any of the previous claims, wherein the first predetermined inclination value is equal or less than 40°.
Toilet bowl (1) according to claim 4, wherein the first predetermined inclination value is equal or less than 33°.
Toilet bowl (1) according to any of the previous claims, wherein the second predetermined inclination value is equal or more than 40°.
Toilet bowl (1) according to any of the previous claims, wherein the maximum predetermined inclination value is equal or less than 80°.
Toilet bowl (1) according to claims 5 and 6, wherein the toilet bowl (1) has a wall hang configuration and wherein the second predetermined inclination value is 44° and the maximum predetermined inclination value is 64°.
Toilet bowl (1) according to claims 5 and 6, wherein the toilet bowl (1) has a floor standing configuration and wherein the second predetermined inclination value is 55° and the maximum predetermined inclination value is 75°.
Toilet bowl (1) according to any of the previous claims, wherein a maximum value of radial component inclination (12R) of the spiral surface (12) is given for an abruptest surface radial section (S6) located in between an angular portion of the central spiral path (120) starting at 240° and ending at 330° from the inlet port (20).
Toilet bowl (1) according to claim 10, wherein the maximum value of radial component inclination (12R) is comprised between 50° and 75°.
Toilet bowl (1) according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the radial component inclination (12R) at the surface radial section (S9) located at the end of the second longitudinal portion (122) is lower than 45°.
Toilet bowl (1) according to any of previous claims, wherein the inner wall (10) comprises a steep wall portion (13) joined to the inner edge of the spiral surface for at least one spiral turn.
Toilet bowl (1) according to any of previous claims, wherein the inner wall (10) comprises a peripheral wall (14) joined to the outer edge of the spiral surface (12).
Toilet bowl (1) according to any of previous claims, wherein the width of the spiral surface (12) and the radius of the central spiral path (120) are proportionally related at each surface radial section (S3-S7) of at least half a spiral turn when seen at an overhead projection of the spiral surface (12).