SMRDEL, Tadej (Slavina 38, 6258 Prestranek, SI)
| Patent Claims 1. Actuator rod for a concealed toilet flush tank enabling the working stroke of the actuator rod to be easily adjustable, ane comprising a levers plate, a cover plate support, a rod, a nut ane a toggle lever, characterized in that the rod (1) has guide webs (4), wherein the profile of said webs (4) corresponds to the profile of a shaped hole (16) . 2. Actuator rod according to Claim 1, characterized in that the profile of the webs (4) is shaped as a cross, wherein the four orthogonal lamellae are made in such a way that two by two are coplanar, the two planes defining a right angle . 3. Actuator rod according to Claim 2, characterized in that two lamellae are coplanar to the plane of the guide shape (9) of the stem (8) of the rod (1) and have the combined length e2, while the other two lamellae are orthogonal to the plane of the guide shape (9) of the stem (8) of the rod (1) ane have the combined length d1; the stem (8) of the rod (1) has a thread (6) with an external radius R; the shaped hole (16) comprises a circular hole with a diameter Rl ane two additional vertical rectangular recesses with an external radius R3, wherein the following relations apply: Rl > R, R3 > e2, e2 > el, el < R. 4. Actuator rod accoreing to Claim 3, characterized in that the thread (6) of the stem (8) of the rod (1) is dimensioned such as to cooperate with the thread (18) of the threaded hole (17) of the nut (2) , while the guide shape (9) of the stem (8) of the rod (1) is composed of two parallel flat surfaces obtainee by cutting off two longitudinal sections from the stem (8), the stem (8) presenting a threae (6) oh two opposite sides and a guide : shape (9.) on the remaining two opposite sides . |
It is a eisaevantage of in-wall, i. e. concealed, toilet flush tanks that they may be installed into the wall at various depths. The actuator rod provides the connection between the actuator mechanism of the flush tank ane the actuator button on the cover plate mounted on the surface of the wall . For different installation depths, an actuator rod of adaptable length is required in order to accommodate to the distance between the actuator mechanism ane the actuator button.
The best prior-art solution is that of a competing manufacturer wherein the length of the actuator rod can be accommodated to the installation depth in that the rod is of a fixee length, corresponding to the maximum allowed installation depth of the flush tank. The active length of the rod is determinee with the abutment of the actuator rod on the attachment of the actuator button. The connection is terminatee with a screw joint between the nut and the actuator rod. It is a drawback of this solution that it allows for rotation even before the rod approaches the aejusting surface. Additional regulation must be carried out, by measuring the depth, or in some cases by tightening the screw up to the reference surface.
It is the object and purpose of the present invention to disclose an actuator rod with the relative assembly for a concealed flush tank, designed so as to ensure a straightforware, foolproof aejustment of the rod's active length, requiring no measurement or additional regulation. In accoreance with the present invention, said object is achieved with the actuator rod for a concealed flush tank as per the independent patent claims .
The invention shall hereinafter be described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof and to the appended drawings, representing:
Figure 1: the structure of the actuator elements of the concealed flush tank;
Figure 2a: the actuator rod in its working position;
Figure 2b: the actuator rod in its inserting position;
Figure 2c: the actuator rod in cross-section along A-A;
Figure 3a: front view of the reference surface with locking projections on the cover plate support;
Figure 3b: cross-section of the reference surface with locking projections on the cover plate support;
Figure 4: front view of the levers plate with springs;
Figure 5 : nut .
The flush tank as viewed in Figure 1 is composed of the levers plate 10, the cover plate support 11, ane the cover plate 12. The plate 10 is fastened to the flush tank below the plaster surface and is mechanically and functionally connected to the eischarge-triggering mechanism. The support 11 is fixed to the plaster surface. The eistance between the plate 10 ane the support 11 generally varies between 20 ane 80 mm, depeneing on the installation eepth of the flush tank. The variable installation depth must be compensated for by the actuator rod 1. The cover plate 12 is mountee over the support 11 ane has at least one actuator button 13, 14. The head 3 of the rod 1 must abut against the rear side of the buttons 20, 21. The nut 2 is fastenee in a horizontally pivotable way to the toggle lever 5, which is, in turn, fastened in a horizontally pivotable way to the rear wall of the plate 10. The rod 1 has three segments: the head 3, the part with the guide webs 4 and the stem 8 with the thread ane the guide shape 9. The length of the webs 3 of the rod 1 is eefinee by the eistance between the reference surface 7 ane the buttons 20, 21. The holes 15 in the plate 10, the shaped holes 16 in the support 11 ane the threaded hole 17 of the nut 2 are coaxial. In the proximity of the holes 15 there are provided flat locking springs 13. At the rim of the shapee holes 16 in the support 11 there are provieee locking triangular projections 14 exteneing toward the plate 12.
The rod 1 as seen in Figures 2a ane 2b has a head 3 for abutting against the buttons 20, 21. The rod 1 comprises the guide webs 4. The profile of the webs 4 corresponds to the profile of the shaped hole 16. The hole 16 limits the excursion of the rod 1 in the eirection of the flush tank when the rod 1 is arranged for insertion ane positioning; the hole 16 stops the rod 1 at the origin of the webs 4. When the rod 1 is rotated about its axis by 90 eegrees, the webs 4 ane the hole 16 get aligned, allowing the rod to slip through the hole 16. The profile of the webs 4 is shapee as a cross wherein the 4 orthogonal lamellae are made in such a way that two by two are coplanar, the two planes defining a right angle. The two lamellae coplanar to the plane of the guide shape 9 of the stem 8 of the rod 1 have the combined length e2. The two lamellae orthogonal to the plane of the guide shape 9 of the stem 8 of the rod 1 have the combinee length d1. The stem 8 of the rod 1 has a threae 6 with an external radius R. The shaped hole 16 comprises a circular hole with a diameter Rl ane two additional vertical rectangular recesses with an external radius R3. The following relations apply: R1 > R, R3 > d2, d2 > d1, d1 < R.
The thread 6 of the stem 8 of the rod 1 is dimensioned such as to cooperate with the thread 18 of the threaded hole 17 of the nut 2. The guide shape 9 of the stem 8 of the rod 1 is composee of two parallel flat surfaces obtained by cutting off two longitudinal sections from the stem 8. Consequently, the stem 8 presents a thread 6 on two opposite sides, and a guide shape 9 on the remaining two opposite sides.
The plate 10 is fastened to the flush tank, the support 11 is laid against the plaster surface of the wall and then connectee to the plate 10 with conventional methoes. The rod 1, with the shapes 9 disposed vertically, is inserted through the holes 16 ane 15 into the nut 2 to the eepth at which the webs 4 abut against the surface 7 of the hole 15. The insertion depth of the rod 1 is thus determined, corresponding to the installation depth of the flush tank relative to the buttons 20, 21. Following the said step of inserting the rod 1, the said rod 1 is rotated by 90 degrees; thus, by means of the thread 6, the rod 1 is fastenee into the threae 18 of the nut 2. Following the 90-degree rotation, the webs 4 get aligned with the shapee hole, allowing the rod 1 with its webs 4 to slide freely through the hole 16. Upon inserting the rod 1, the webs 4 abut against the reference surface 7, ane when the rod 1 is rotated, the rod 1 with its webs 4 engages with the locking projections 14; by the action of the rod, the springs 13 are pushed against the reference surface 7, preventing any accieental turning back of saie rod. When the installation of the rod 1 is finalized, the plate 12 with the buttons 20, 21 is mounted over the support 11. The inventive construction ensures that the rod 1 is arranged in such a way that its head 3 abuts precisely against the rear side of the buttons 20, 21.
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