Subject of the Invention

The invention relates to an electronically controlled flushing system.

State of the Art

The flushing systems comprise at least one flush tank in which the water to be used in flushing the toilet is stored, a discharge group enabling the water within the flush tank to be discharged into the toilet and a filling group enabling to refill the flush tank, which has emptied upon the transfer of the water to the toilet.

According to the state of the art, a user enables the water within the flush tank to be delivered to the toilet by means of a triggering member and the emptied flush tank is refilled by means of the filling group. The filling and discharge groups used in the state of the art comprise mechanical parts. The fact that the mechanical parts work in water causes them to experience malfunction due to calcification and thus causes their useful life to become shortened.

Today, the delivery of the water from the flush tank may be performed at different rates in order to prevent the unnecessary consumption of water. However, the flow of different quantities of water is controlled by the user with the help of the mechanical hardware and it is not possible to precisely adjust the quantity of water delivered to the toilet. It is a possibility that, as a result of a user error, a quantity of water greater than is necessary could be delivered to the toilet although it is desired to deliver a small quantity of water.

In addition, it is not possible to monitor the remaining quantity of water within the flush tank in the existing systems and it is not possible determine whether or not water is available within the flush tank.

The use of the electronically controlled bathroom and toilet products has become quite important for ensuring that the problems of hygiene do not arise especially in the areas of public use. In this way, it will be possible, for example, for a user to realize that no water has left within the flush tank or the quantity of water required to provide the adequate flushing action is not available within the flush tank so that he/she can take the necessary measures. Owing to the development of an electronically controlled flushing system within the scope of the invention, the use of the mechanical parts is abolished and thus the water losses resulting from the wide tolerance of the mechanical parts are prevented. Besides, the thickness of the flush tank is decreased, thereby making it possible to reduce the thickness of the wall where the flush tank is mounted. The ability to electronically control a flushing system has become important also for creating positive conditions from the perspective of hygiene.

Object of the Invention

An object of the invention is to develop an electronically controlled flushing system.

Another object of the invention is to develop an electronically controlled flushing system, which detects and notifies to the user the quantity of water available within the flush tank.

Another object of the invention is to develop an electronically controlled flushing system, in which the quantity of water to be delivered to the flushing zone is able to be controlled electronically.

Description of the Figures

Figure 1: Flushing system developed within the scope of the invention

Figure 2: A view of the main control unit

Reference Numerals

1 : Flush tank

2 : Flush tank water inlet

3 : Main control unit

4 : Level sensor

5 : Filling actuator

6 : Filling pipe

7 : Discharge actuator

8 : Discharge pipe K : Control panel

Detailed Description of the Invention

The invention relates to an electronically controlled flushing system.

The flushing system shown in Figure 1 comprises at least one flush tank (1) for storing the water that is to be delivered to the zone to be flushed and that is obtained from an external source like a municipal water supply system, at least one filling actuator (5) positioned within the flush tank (1), at least one discharge actuator (7) positioned within the flush tank (1), at least one main control unit (3) and at least one level sensor (4) positioned within the flush tank (1).

The control of the input of water from the flush tank water inlet (2) to the flush tank (1) is provided by the filling actuator (5). At least one filling pipe (6) is connected to the filling actuator (5). The discharge of the water within the flush tank (1) is achieved by way of turning on said discharge actuator (7). At least one discharge pipe (8) is connected to the discharge actuator (7).

According to the flushing system developed within the scope of the invention, the level sensor (4) is positioned within the flush tank (1), wherein said level sensor (4) detects the water level within the flush tank (1) and the level information detected by the level sensor (4) is transmitted to the main control unit (3) for evaluation. The durations for which the filling actuator (5) and the discharge actuator (7) are to remain in the on state are determined by the level sensor (4). In case the water level information, which is detected by the level sensor (4) and transmitted to the main control unit (3), has dropped below a predetermined minimum level, the input of water to the flush tank (1) is allowed by turning on the filling actuator (5). The input of water to the flush tank (1) continues until the water level within the flush tank (1) reaches the predetermined maximum level. The same process is repeated after the drop of the water level within the flush tank (1) as a result of discharge or as a result of a problem such as leakage, thereby enabling the water level within the flush tank (1) to correspond to the predetermined water level. In this way, it is ensured that a quantity of water sufficient to perform the flushing process is always available within the flush tank. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, by means of a user interface on the control panel (K) that is disposed on the main control unit (3), the quantity of water to be discharged into the zone where the flushing process is to take place may be determined by the user.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the user may perform the setting related to the quantity of water to be discharged into the flushing zone by means of a control member, which is able to be controlled by means of a mechanical or electronic button or switch or in a non- contact manner and which is disposed on the user interface on said control panel (K).

In case it is desired to discharge water into the flushing zone, the user determines the quantity of water to be discharged into the flushing zone by means of the control member present on the user interface on the control panel (K) that is disposed on the main control unit (3) and the discharge actuator (7) is brought into the on state so that the determined quantity of water may be discharged into the flushing zone. Upon the discharge actuator (7) being brought into the on state, the passage of water is permitted from the flush tank (1) to the flushing zone. After the discharge process is complete, in order to fill into the flush tank (1) the water at a quantity corresponding to the quantity of water that has been discharged into the flushing zone, the level sensor (4) measures the quantity of water within the flush tank (1) and transmits the corresponding data to the main control unit (3) and the filling actuator (5) is turned on in order to fill into the flush tank (1) the quantity of water corresponding to the deficit determined upon the comparison made between the transmitted data and the maximum water level, which is required to be available within the flush tank (1) and which is predetermined. The flush tank (1) is refilled in a manner corresponding to the predetermined maximum water quantity. The water quantity within the flush tank (1) is instantaneously detected by the level sensor (4) and the respective information is sent to the main control unit (3), wherein in case the maximum water quantity required to be available within the flush tank (1), which is previously recorded in the main control unit (3), is the same as the quantity of water detected by the level sensor (4), the filling actuator (5) is brought into the off state to stop the filling of water.

The information about the quantity of water to be discharged into the flushing zone, which is transmitted by the user by means of the user interface on the control panel (K), is compared in the main control unit (3) with the information transmitted by the level sensor (4) to the main control unit (3), wherein in case the quantity of water adequate to perform the flushing process is not available, first the filling actuator (5) is turned on to perform the filling of water into the flush tank (1).

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the level sensor (4) may be a capacitive, piezo, pressure or magnetic sensor.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the filling actuator (5) and the discharge actuator (7) used in the flushing system are each a valve or motor.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the maximum water level to be available within the flush tank (1) may be determined by the user.

In case of a malfunction occurring in the electronic flushing system according to the invention, the discharge function is carried out by using the discharge pipe (8).

The durations for which the filling actuator (5) and the discharge actuator (7) are to remain in the on state are determined by the level sensor (4).

A preferred embodiment of the invention comprises, on the main control unit (3), an indicator, which enables the user to be informed about a malfunction in the electronic control system in case such a malfunction occurs and which further enables the user to monitor the quantity of water within the flush tank (1). Owing to said indicator, the user is informed about whether a malfunction exists in the electronic control system, while it is also possible for the user to access the information about whether the water for flushing is available within the flush tank (1). With said embodiment, it will be also possible to detect the decreases in the quantity of water available within the flush tank (1), which could occur due to a reason, such as leakage, not associated with the discharge process, and to prevent in the shortest time a likely problem associated with the sealing. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the flushing process is initiated automatically by the main control unit (3) in case the toilet bowl or the toilet is not used for a predetermined duration, thereby preventing the bacterial growth in the flushing zone as well as preventing the development of malodor.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the frequency with which the water quantity within the flush tank (1) is to be measured by the level sensor (4) may be determined by the user via the user interface on the control panel (K) that is present on the main control unit (3). In said embodiment, it will be possible for the water quantity within the flush tank (1) to be measured instantaneously by the level sensor (4), while it will also be possible to perform the measurements according to the time intervals determined by the user. In this way, the consumption of water may be prevented in cases where the use will not occur.

Owing to the flushing system according to the invention, the processes of filling and discharging the flush tank (1) may be controlled electronically, the water level within the flush tank (1) may be monitored and the troubles likely to be encountered may be precluded by performing the troubleshooting for the possible faults. Furthermore, since the mechanical parts will not be needed in the filling and discharge system, it becomes possible to eliminate the inconveniences caused by such parts.