EP1389657B1 - Actuation device for outlet valve of a flushing device - Google Patents

Abstract

Activation device for the outlet valve (4) of a cleaning device with a motor (15), which has a control unit and a pivoting lever (16). The latter has an angular stroke and lifts the closing body (5) of an outlet valve to initiate cleaning. The motor is controlled so that the angular stroke of the pivoting lever is automatically matched to the available valve stroke. Optimally the control unit and motor are used to determine the largest possible angular stroke when the closing body is first raised and closed. This valve is stored in memory.

Description

The invention relates to an actuating device for an outlet valve a flushing device, with a motor, the one Swivel lever has, which serves for Spülauslösung with an angular stroke a closure body of a valve seat of the outlet valve takes off.

Actuators of this type are known. they allow a non-contact flushing release. The engine becomes, for example operated via a proximity sensor. An example Such an actuator is disclosed in US 5,603,127. The engine that opens the drain valve is arranged here in a cistern. When activating the engine this lifts with the pivot lever on a flushing lever, which with a Chain is connected to the closure body. At one The front of the cistern arranged lever can flush also be triggered by hand. The disadvantage is the comparative elaborate assembly, because the engine or the pivot lever exactly must be aligned with the rinse lever.

The invention is based on the object, an actuating device to create that kind of simpler and easier way faster Monday allows. The task is at a named Actuating device according to claim 1 solved. Especially the engine control is programmed so that the angular stroke the lever automatically adapts to an existing valve lift. In the inventive actuating device is the Motor control designed so that the angular stroke of the Swivel lever automatically to the existing stroke of the outlet valve adapts. When mounting the exact positioning of the Motors and the angular stroke of the engine lever is not critical. at The motor can be mounted without further adjustment work on one Bearing part connected and the power supply to be made. When a first rinse trigger detects an electronic Control of the motor automatically the end positions of the pivot lever and save them. The angular stroke is thus at the outlet valve customized.

According to a development of the invention, the engine is at one Bearing mounted behind a revision opening of the cistern is arranged. At this bearing block is at the same time Rocker mounted with the closure body of the drain valve is engaged. The pivot lever of the motor raises to release a flush this toggle. This makes a special compact and easy to install arrangement.

Figur 1

schematisch eine Ansicht einer erfindungsgemässen Betätigungsvorrichtung,

Figur 2

ein vertikaler Schnitt durch die Betätigungsvorrichtung entlang der Linie I-I der Figur 1,

Figur 3

eine Ansicht gemäss Figur 1, wobei hier der Verschlusskörper angehoben ist,

Figur 4

ein vertikaler Schnitt entlang der Linie IV-IV der Figur 3,

Figur 5

eine Ansicht gemäss Figur 1, wobei der Verschlusskörper vollständig angehoben und der Schwenkhebel in die Grundstellung zurückverschwenkt ist,

Figur 6

ein vertikaler Schnitt durch die erfindungsgemässe Betätigungsvorrichtung entlang der Linie VI-VI der Figur 5,

Figur 7

eine Ansicht gemäss Figur 1, wobei der Verschlusskörper vom Schwenkhebel nach unten in die Verschlussposition bewegt ist,

Figur 8

ein Schnitt durch die erfindungsgemässe Betätigungsvorrichtung entlang der Linie VIII-VIII der Figur 7,

Figur 9

ein Schnitt durch den Servomotor entlang der Linie IX-IX der Figur 10 und

Figur 10

eine Ansicht des an einem Lagerbock befestigten Servomotors.

An embodiment of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawing. Show it:

FIG. 1

1 is a schematic view of an actuating device according to the invention;

FIG. 2

a vertical section through the actuator along the line II of Figure 1,

FIG. 3

a view according to Figure 1, in which case the closure body is raised,

FIG. 4

a vertical section along the line IV-IV of Figure 3,

FIG. 5

a view according to Figure 1, wherein the closure body is completely raised and the pivot lever is pivoted back into the basic position,

FIG. 6

FIG. 5 shows a vertical section through the actuating device according to the invention along the line VI-VI of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7

a view according to Figure 1, wherein the closure body is moved from the pivot lever down into the closed position,

FIG. 8

a section through the inventive actuating device along the line VIII-VIII of Figure 7,

FIG. 9

a section through the servo motor along the line IX-IX of Figure 10 and

FIG. 10

a view of the attached to a bearing block servomotor.

The actuator 1 shown in Figure 1 has a Bearing 3 on, in a cistern only indicated here 2 is attached. The cistern 2 is preferably a Concealed cistern and the bearing block 3 is behind the here Not shown inspection opening arranged. For attachment of the Bearing 3 on cistern 2 has this laterally down projecting side supports 12 and 13. The bearing block 3 is preferably releasably attached to the cistern 2 and can at a revision be removed from the cistern.

On the bearing block 3, a rocker arm 7 is arranged, which is a horizontal Axis 8 is pivotable. On an arm 9 of the rocker arm. 7 is a handlebar, not shown here for manual operation hinged, which is movable in the direction of the arrow 10. at such movement is an arm 26 of the rocker arm 7 in the direction of the arrow 11 is pivoted about the axis 8. The arm 26 engages in an opening 27 of a bracket 6 and raises in such Pivoting movement of the bracket 6 with a closure body attached thereto 5 on. The closure body 5 is part of one here not shown further outlet valve 4. The outlet valve. 4 can be designed as usual. Preferably, the outlet valve 4 a float valve. There are also other outlet valves here conceivable. The bracket 6 has below the opening 27 a plate 17 with a horizontal surface 18. At the Plate 17 downwardly projecting holding means 19 are formed, which connect the bracket 6 with the closure body 5.

On the bearing block 3 is a motor 15, in particular a servomotor attached, which has a one-armed pivot lever 16, the firmly seated on a motor shaft 22 and the according to Figure 2 with a hook-shaped front end 16a, the arm 26 loosely engages under. The motor 15 is housed in a housing 21 which attached to the bearing block 3, for example, is locked. To On the housing 21, a holder 14 is formed, which the housing 21st connects to the bearing block 3.

The motor 15 is preferably provided with a not shown here Battery supplied. The switching on of the motor 15 takes place, for example on a key 24 shown in FIG. 10. This key 24 has in particular a proximity sensor 24a, with the the motor 15, for example, by a hand without contact can be. The button 24 can also be a mechanical Button. But there are other suitable means here as well for contactless remote triggering possible.

The motor 15 according to Figure 10 has a known control 28. This is designed so that the pivot lever 16 when turning on the motor 15 an angular excursion α exerts. In the Figure 10 are possible positions A, B, C and D of the pivot lever 16 indicated. Position C is usually the resting position or basic position. The position D corresponds to the position in which the closure body 5 is completely raised and thus the outlet valve 4 is open. The positions B and A are further possible pivotal positions of the pivot lever 16. The position It corresponds to an upper reference point and the position A a lower reference point. The controller 28 is now designed to that the angular stroke of the pivot lever 16 at least at a first actuation automatically to the existing valve the closure body 5 adapts. In the figure 2 is a such existing valve lift indicated by H. The valve lift H is the maximum distance in which the valve body from the Lock position can be raised. Next up and even further down the closure body can not be moved become. This stroke H may vary due to manufacturing tolerances be. In addition, the end positions can be different be.

The upper reference point is reached when the closure body 5 is completely raised. The lower reference point is then reached when the pivot lever 16 is present on the bearing block 3. The pivot lever 16 can then not continue counterclockwise be pivoted. Also in this position is a strong Current increase, by which the controller 28 the lower reference point recognizes. The motor 15 is preferably designed that the angular deviation α regardless of the direction of rotation of the Swing lever 16 is adjusted. Is the engine counterclockwise? Polarity, the controller recognizes this as the wrong direction of rotation and reverses the engine. Both reference points recognize the Control 28 due to a current increase. The two reference points are each stored by the controller 28. At a further actuation of the pivot lever 16 then leads this set and stored maximum angular stroke. This is then, for example, the angular deviation α shown in FIG. 10, which is for example 45 °. The originally possible angular stroke of for example 180 ° is thus restricted to 45 °.

The circuit 28 is preferably set to periodically, For example, after 1'000 rinses the Winkelhub new adjusted. This is an adaptation to any changes the outlet valve 4 possible. The number of strokes, after which each the angular deviation α is readjusted, is preferably adjustable.

Hereinafter, with reference to the figures 1 to 8, the operation of Actuator 1 explained in more detail.

In the figure 1, the outlet valve 4 is closed. The swivel lever 16 is in the rest position and this corresponds in the figure 10 about the position C. The cistern 2 is filled with water and ready for a rinse. If the engine 15 by remote release or switched on by mechanical actuation of the key 24, Thus, the pivot lever 16 in Figure 1 in a clockwise direction pivoted. Since the pivot lever 16, the arm 26 according to FIG 2 engages, in this case the arm 16 in Figure 2 in a clockwise direction pivoted. The arm 26 takes in this case the bracket 6 and lifts this together with the closure body 5 vertically. Thereby the outlet valve 4 is opened and the flushing process initiated. If the outlet valve 4 is a float valve, it remains the closure body 5 in the raised position in suspension, until essentially all rinse water has leaked out. The Figures 3 and 4 show the position of the pivot lever 16 at completely raised closure body 5. Before the closure body 5 closes the outlet valve 4, the pivots Pivot lever 16 back into the position shown in Figure 1 or in the position C. The closure body 5 is thus free and can after flushing back into the starting position shown in Figure 1 fall behind. The cistern 2 is now with a not shown here inlet valve filled again, after which the Cistern for another flushing is ready again. In principle, the pivot lever 16 can also be counterclockwise exercise an angular stroke. Again, the angular stroke automatically adapted to the existing valve lift H.

The actuating device 1 is designed so that a Partial rinse is possible. In such a partial flush is a corresponding signal transmitted to the controller 28 or the Button 24 is equipped with a corresponding touchpad. To Such a release is the flush, as with the figures 1 to 4 explained above, initiated. The closure body 5 is thus raised the same as mentioned above. The closure body 5 also reaches the uppermost position shown in Figure 3 here. Subsequently, however, the pivot lever 16 is not here only until the rest position according to FIG 5, but time-controlled even further pivoted counterclockwise down. at this movement reaches the front hook-shaped end 16a of the Swing lever 16, the top 18 of the plate 17, as shown in FIG 7 is shown. The pivot lever 16 will now continue counterclockwise moved and the front end 16a loads with a Force according to arrow 29 on the plate 17 and on the closure body 5. As a result, the closure body 5 against the auftreibende Effect of the float valve down on the valve seat emotional. The outlet valve 4 is thus closed prematurely. The flushing process is interrupted and only a part of the existing rinse water was used for rinsing. For example, these are 6 or 3 1 out of a total of for example, 9 1 rinse water. The flush volume of a partial flush can be adjusted continuously and is in particular by the Duration determined, after which the pivot lever 16 after the Trigger the partial flush again counterclockwise down pivots and thereby the closure body 5 in the closed position suppressed. Preferably, the controller 28 is so set that either between a full flush and a Partial flush can be selected. After a partial rinse goes the Pivot lever 16 automatically in the rest position according to FIG. 1 back.

The actuating device 1 can also be triggered mechanically. Here, as usual, the rocker arm 7 at a pivoted not shown here actuator plate. Since the Swivel lever 16 engages under the arm 26, this can from the pivot lever 16 lifted and the closure body 5 are raised. After flushing the closure body 5 falls back into the in Figures 1 and 2 shown position. The pivot lever 16 remains in such a mechanical flushing in the in the figures 1 and 2 shown rest position, thus in the position C.

Claims (12)

1. Actuation device for an outlet valve (4) of a flushing device, with a motor (15) which has a controller (28) and a pivot lever (16) which lifts a closure body (5) of the outlet valve (4) by an angular stroke (α) in order to initiate the flushing process, characterised in that the motor (15) is controlled in such a way that the angular stroke (α) of the pivot lever (16) is automatically adapted to an existing valve stroke (H) by means of the controller, which is able to detect and to store the end positions (C, D) of the pivot lever (16) defined by the maximum valve stroke (H).
2. Device as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that, when the closure body (5) is lifted and closed for the first time, the maximum angular stroke (α) is detected by the motor (15) and stored in a controller (28).
3. Device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that, whenever there is an increase in flow, the motor (15) detects a bottom and a top reference point (C, D) and these angular positions or reference points are stored.
4. Device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that, when a full flush is initiated, the motor (15) effects an angular stroke (α) up to a point below the top reference point (D).
5. Device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that, in order to initiate a partial flush, the motor (15) pushes the closure body (5) down to a point below the bottom reference point (C) by means of he pivot lever (16) and prematurely closes the outlet valve (4).
6. Device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the motor (15) automatically readjusts the angular stroke (α) after a presettable number of strokes by running a reference flush.
7. Device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the motor (15) sets the angular stroke (α) irrespective of the direction of rotation of the pivot lever (16).
8. Device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the motor (15) is mounted on a bearing block (3).
9. Device as claimed in claim 8, characterised in that a pivotable tilting lever (7) is mounted on the bearing block (3) at a distance from the motor (15), which engages in a bracket (6) of the closure body (5) and is pivoted upwards when a flushing process is initiated by the pivot lever (16).
10. Device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that the closure body (5) has a top face (18) at its top end, with which the pivot lever (16) co-operates in the event of a partial flush in order to close the outlet valve (4) prematurely.
11. Device as claimed in claim 10, characterised in that, in the event of a partial flush, the pivot lever (16) pushes onto the top face (18) from above in order to close the outlet valve (4) prematurely.
12. Device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 11, characterised in that the motor (15) is a servomotor.

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