GB2355853A

GB2355853A - Device for controlling a flush valve

Info

Publication number: GB2355853A
Application number: GB9917550A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kuan-Pao Chen; Yi-Tsung Tsai
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-07-27
Filing date: 1999-07-27
Publication date: 2001-05-02
Also published as: GB9917550D0

Abstract

A device, for controlling the flush valve of a flush tank in a toilet, comprising electromagnetic means (25, 26) to slidably actuate an armature (24) backwards and forwards within a pipe. The pipe is disposed in casing (21) and secured in housing. The armature is connected to a lever (30) by a spring member and the other end of the lever is coupled to the flush valve. The electromagnetic field is created by pulsing one of two coils (25,26) and is maintained by a number of plates (27) and one or more magnets (28) disposed in the casing.

Description

2355853 CONTROL DEVICE FOR FLUSH TANK

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a control device for a flush tank, and more particularly to an electromagnetic control device for the flush tank.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Typical flush tanks comprise a lever coupled to a flush valve by a link. The lever should be actuated by a force that is large enough to overcome the water pressure applied onto the flush valve.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore described disadvantages of the conventional Rush tank control devices.

SUMMAPY OF INVENTION The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an electromagnetic control device for a flush tank which may be effectively and economically operated.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a control device for controlling a flush valve of a flush tank, the control device comprising a housing, a lever pivotally coupled to the housing and including a first end coupled to the flush valve of the flush tank and including a second end extended inward of the housing, a casing secured in the housing, a pipe disposed in the casing, an armature slidably received in the pipe and including a first end, a spring member coupling the first end of the armature to the second end of the lever, and electromagnetic means for actuating the armature inward of the pipe to actuate the lever via the spring member.

The electromagnetic means generates an electromagnetic field when the electromagnetic means is energized, the control device further includes means for maintaining the electromagnetic field generated by the electromagnetic means. The electromagnetic field maintaining means includes a plurality of plates engaged on the pipe and one or more magnets disposed on the plates for maintaining the electromagnetic field generated by the electromagnetic means.

The electromagnetic means includes a coil disposed on the pipe for actuating the armature inward of the pipe and includes another coil disposed on the pipe for actuating the armature outward of the pipe.

A seat is further secured to the casing and has a recess formed therein, the armature includes a second end to be received in the recess of the seat. A securing device is further provided for securing the housing to the flush tank.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of a detailed description provided herein below, with appropriate reference to accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. I is a perspective view of a toilet; FIG.2 is a cross sectional view taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1; FIG.3 is a perspective view of a control device in accordance with the present invention; FIGS. 4 and 5 are partial exploded views of the control device; FIGS. 6, 7, 8 are partial cross sectional views illustrating the operation of the control device.

DETALLED DESCRIPTION OF TBE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-4, a control device in accordance with the present invention comprises a housing 10 including a bracket 11 secured to one side and including a tube 12 extended from the other side. A bolt 13has a bracket l4secured to one end thereof and has the other end engaged in the tube 12. Two nuts 15, 16 are engaged on the bolt 13 for engaging with the tube 12 and for licking the 2 housing 10 of the control device to the flush tank 80. The flush tank 80 includes a flush valve 82 and a link 88 coupling the flush valve 82 to a lever 30 of the control device 10. The control device includes a sensing device, such as an infrared ray sensing device 51 disposed in a box 50 and disposed above the flush tank 80 for detecting the user and for controlling the control device. The housing 10 includes a chamber 17 formed therein for receiving a casing 21 of an electromagnetic device 20, and includes a channel 18 formed therein for ratably receiving a middle portion 38 of the lever 30 (FIGS. 3, 4). The lever 30 includes one end 32 coupled to the oink 88 and other end 34 extended inward of the housing 10.

Referring next to FIGS. 5, 6 and again to FIG. 4, the electromagnetic device 20 includes a seat 22 secured to one end of the casing 2 1 and having a recess 221 formed therein. The casing 21 includes a cap 20 secured to the other end and having one or more projections 291 for engaging into the casing 21. The cap 29 is preferably solidly secured to the casing 21 by such as a welding process. A pipe 23 is disposed in the casing 21and has one end secured to the cap 29 and has the other end aligned with or engaged onto the seat 22. A movable armature 24 is slidably engaged in the pipe 23 and has one end 241 to be engaged into the recess 221 of the seat 22 and has the other end coupled to the other end 34 of the lever 30 by a spring 40. Two coils 25, 26 are engaged on the pipe 23 for generating the electromagnetic forces of different directions and for moving the armature 24 to different directions along the pipe 23. A number of silicon-steel plates 27 are engaged on one end of the pipe 23 and one or more permanent magnets 28 are disposed on top and below the plates 27.

The casing 21, the armature 24, the seat 22, the plates 27 and the cap 29 are made of magnetic permeable materials for forming the magnetic 3 induction (FIG. 8) for the electromagnetic device 20. The pipe 23 are made of the materials that have no magnetic permeability.

In operation, when the coil 25 is energized, the an-nature 24 may be moved inward of the pipe 23 by the magnetic field generated by the coil

25 (FIGS. 7 and 8). The plates 27 and the permanent magnets 28 may maintain the magnetic field such that the soil 25 is only required to be energized for about 0.5 second. The energy required for actuating the coil is thus greatly decreased. The lever 30 may thus be rotated about the middle section 38 thereof by the armature 24 via the spring 40. It is to be noted that the armature 24 is not directly coupled to the lever 30, but coupled indirectly to the lever 30 via the spring 40, such that the force applied onto the armature 24 is not required 30. When the coil 26 is energized for about 0.5 second, the armature 24 may be forced outward of the casing 21 (FIG.6) to release the lever 30, and the plates 27 and the permanent magnets 28 may maintain the magnetic field such that the coil

26 may also be energized with the least energy. Altematively, without the coil 26, the armature 24 may also be moved outward of the casing 21 by a spring-biasing member when the coil 25 is de-energized.

Accordingly, the flush tank in accordance with the present invention includes an electromagnetic control device that may be effectively and economically operated.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing form the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Claims

I CLAIM:

1. A control device for controlling a flush valve of a flush tank, said control device comprising:

a housing, a lever pivotally coupled to said housing and including a first end coupled to the flush valve of the flush tank and including a second end extended inward of said housing, casing secured in said housing, pipe disposed in said casing, an armature slidably received in said pipe and including a first end, a spring member coupling said first end of said armature to said second end of said lever,, and electromagnetic means for actuating said armature inward of said pipe to actuate said lever via said spring member.

2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein said electromagnetic means generates an electromagnetic field when said electromagnetic means is energized, said control device further includes means for maintaining said electromagnetic field generated by said electromagnetic means.

3. The control device according to claim 2, wherein said electromagnetic field maintaining means includes a plurality of plates engaged on said pipe for maintaining said electromagnetic field generated by said electromagnetic means.

4. The control device according to claim 3 further comprising at least one magnet disposed on said plates for maintaining said electromagnetic field generated by said electromagnetic means.

5. The control device according to claim 1, wherein said electromagnetic means includes a coil disposed on said pipe for actuating said armature inward of said pipe.

6. The control device according to claim 1, wherein said electromagnetic means includes a coil disposed on said pipe for actuating said armature outward of sad pipe.

7. The control device according to claim I further comprising a seat secured to said casing and having a recess formed therein, said armature including a second end to be received in said recess of said seat.

8. The control device according to claim I further comprising means for securing said housing to the flush tank.

8. The control device according to claim Ifurther comprising means for securing said housing to the flush tank.

6 Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1.A control device for controlling a flush valve of a flush tank, said control device comprising:

a housing; a lever pivotally coupled to said housing and including a first end coupled to the flush valve of the flush tank and including a second end extended inwards of said housing; a casing secured in said housing; a pipe disposed in said casing; an armature slidably received in said pipe and including a first end; a spring member coupling said first end of said armature to said second end of said lever; electromagnetic means for moving said armature inwards of said pipe to rotate said lever, about a portion intermediate its two ends, via said spring member when the electromagnetic means is energized; and return means for moving said armature outwards of said pipe when said electromagnetic means is de-energized.

2. The control device according to claim 1 wherein said electromagnetic means generates an electromagnetic field when said electromagnetic means is energized, and said control device further includes means for maintaining said electromagnetic field generated by said electromagnetic means.

3. The control device according to claim 2 wherein said electromagnetic field maintaining means includes a plurality of plates engaged on said pipe for maintaining said electromagnetic field generated by said electromagnetic means.

7 4. The control device according to claim 3 further comprising at least one magnet disposed on said plates for maintaining said electromagnetic field generated by said electromagnetic means.

5. The control device according to claim I wherein said electromagnetic means includes a coil disposed on said pipe for moving said armature inwards of said pipe.

6. The control device according to claim I wherein said electromagnetic means includes a coil disposed on said pipe for moving said armature outwards of said pipe.

7. The control device according to claim I further comprising a seat that is secured to said casing, and has a recess formed therein, for receiving a second end of said armature.