Subject of the Invention

The invention relates to a flushing system and a flushing method with repeat flushing control, wherein the flushing process is prevented from being repeated and/or is delayed until a predefined time elapses after realizing the process of flushing at least one ceramic sanitary ware with the fluid in the flush tank.

State of the Art

Today, the ceramic sanitary ware are frequently preferred in the areas like bathrooms, toilet rooms and kitchens. It is required to clean the ceramic sanitary ware after the use and the flushing systems are employed for this purpose. According to the state of the art, the water to be used for cleaning is commonly stored in a flush tank wherein the flow of said stored water into the ceramic sanitary ware takes place upon the user activating the flushing system, thereby enabling the ceramic sanitary ware to be cleaned.

In order for the ceramic sanitary ware to be cleaned to the desired extent, it is necessary that at least a certain level of flushing fluid be available in the flush tank. In case of the quantity of fluid in the flush tank being below said level, the desired cleaning is not possible to achieve after the flushing process.

A float system is most of the time present in the systems according to the state of the art, wherein the flow of fluid into the flush tank is terminated owing to this float once the fluid in said flush tank reaches the maximum level. When the fluid level drops below the maximum level, the flow of fluid into the flush tank is enabled again owing to the float, thereby enabling to fill said flush tank. When the full flushing process takes place, the fluid in the flush tank is discharged into the ceramic sanitary ware. Although the flow of fluid into the flush tank is initiated by the float after the flushing, it takes time for the flush tank to become full of fluid depending on the flush tank size and the water flow rate. In case the flushing system is reactivated before the fluid level in the flush tank reaches the minimum level required for flushing, it is not possible to achieve the flushing process in the manner desired, and besides, the water discharged into the ceramic sanitary ware becomes wasted, leading to undesired water consumption.

Consequently, in the flushing system according to the invention, the activation of the flushing system for a second time is prevented or delayed until a predefined time elapses after the flushing system was activated the first time; in other words, the realization of a second discharge process is prevented and/or delayed until the fluid in the flush tank reaches the desired level. In this way, the undesired consumption of water may be precluded and further, an increase in the time required for the quantity of fluid in the flush tank to reach the fluid quantity needed for an effective flushing may be prevented.

Object of the Invention

An object of the invention is to develop a flushing system and a flushing method, wherein the repeat of the discharge of the fluid in the flush tank into the ceramic sanitary ware is prevented and/or delayed for a predetermined time after the fluid in the flush tank is discharged into the ceramic sanitary ware by way of activation of the flushing system.

Another object of the invention is to develop a flushing system and a flushing method, wherein the level of fluid in the flush tank is enabled to reach the desired minimum level during the time period when the repeat of the discharge of the fluid in the flush tank is prevented after the fluid in the flush tank is discharged into the ceramic sanitary ware by way of activation of the flushing system.

Another object of the invention is to develop a flushing system and a flushing method, wherein the repeat of the discharge of the fluid in the flush tank is prevented for a certain time so that some quantity of the fluid may refill in the flush tank once said fluid in the flush tank is discharged into the ceramic sanitary ware, and as a result, the inability to achieve the desired cleaning resulting from the performance of the flushing process with an inadequate quantity of fluid is prevented and the unnecessary water consumption is precluded.

Detailed Description of the Invention

The invention relates to a flushing system and a flushing method with repeat flushing control, wherein the flushing process is prevented from being repeated and/or is delayed until a predefined time elapses after realizing the process of flushing at least one ceramic sanitary ware with the fluid in the flush tank. More particularly, the invention relates to a flushing system and a flushing method, wherein the repeat of the discharge of the fluid in the flush tank into the ceramic sanitary ware is prevented for a predefined time once said fluid in the flush tank is discharged into the ceramic sanitary ware as a result of the flushing system being triggered, thereby giving time for the quantity of fluid necessary for the flushing to fill in the flush tank and preventing the time loss and the undesired water consumption that would be caused by the repeat of the discharge of the fluid into the ceramic sanitary ware when the fluid quantity in the flush tank is still inadequate for flushing.

The flushing method according to the invention comprises the process steps of

• triggering the flushing system,

• discharging the fluid in the flush tank into the ceramic sanitary ware as a result of the flushing system being triggered, • preventing or delaying the triggering of the flushing system and/or the discharge of the fluid in the flush tank into the ceramic sanitary ware,

• continuing to prevent or delay for the predefined time, and

• once the predefined time is over, realizing the discharge of the fluid in the flush tank into the ceramic sanitary ware automatically and/or by the user triggering the flushing system.

As described above, no prevention or delay action is implemented during the triggering of the flushing system provided that said the flushing system has not been triggered for at least a predefined time. Since the purpose of preventing or delaying the discharge of the water in the flush tank into the toilet bowl is to prevent the discharge of the fluid into the toilet bowl until a quantity of fluid sufficient for the flushing process fills in the flush tank, said predefined time is preferably the time it takes for the fluid level in the flush tank to reach the desired level for a flush tank filled with the fluid flowing with at least an average flow rate. Said time may be adjusted by the user and/or the manufacturer according to the preferences and the needs of the user and/or the type of the flush tank and/or the flow rate of the flushing fluid enabling to fill the flush tank in the ambience where the respective system is being used. More particularly, said predefined time may be decreased or increased also by the user following the installation.

Once the flushing system is triggered and the fluid in the flush tank is discharged into the toilet bowl, the discharge of the fluid in the flush tank into the toilet bowl is prevented or delayed for a predefined time, depending on the preferences. In a preferred embodiment where the discharge is prevented, after the fluid in the flush tank is discharged into the toilet bowl the first time, no action is performed, even if the user triggers the flushing system again, until the predefined time elapses and the user is required to trigger the flushing system again once the predefined time has elapsed, in order for the flushing fluid to be discharged into the toilet bowl. In a preferred embodiment where the discharge is delayed, in case the flushing system is triggered again before the predefined time elapses after the fluid in the flush tank is discharged into the toilet bowl the first time, said triggering action is recorded and the fluid in the flush tank is enabled to be automatically discharged into the toilet bowl once the predefined time has elapsed. As a result, there is no need for the flushing system to be triggered again by the user once the predefined time has elapsed.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the user is provided with information about the predefined time having elapsed, the predefined time having not yet elapsed and/or how much time is left until the predefined time elapses. Said information may be visual and/or audible. In a preferred embodiment where the discharge process is delayed until the predefined time elapses, that the delayed second discharge process has been recorded and that the discharge process will automatically take place at the end of the predefined time are also informed to the user visually and/or audibly. The flushing system according to the invention comprises in its most basic form at least one flush tank in which the flushing fluid is stored, at least one flushing system triggering member enabling the flushing system to be triggered, at least one discharge member enabling the fluid in the flush tank to be discharged, and at least one control unit preventing and/or delaying the repeat of the discharge of the water in the flush tank into the toilet bowl until a predefined time has elapsed after the fluid in the flush tank was discharged into the toilet bowl, even if the flushing system is triggered again, i.e. even if the flushing system is reactivated meanwhile.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the flushing system triggering member may be a mechanical and/or electronic button as well as a touch key on a panel, enabling the triggering necessary for the discharge member to permit the fluid in the flush tank to flow into the toilet bowl.

The discharge member is positioned in the opening present between the flush tank and the toilet bowl and either permits or prevents the flow of fluid from the flush tank into the toilet bowl. In other words, it opens or blocks said opening in line with the instructions coming from the control unit.

According to the data coming from the triggering member, the control unit enables the discharge member to bring the opening between the flush tank and the toilet bowl into the open position so that the fluid in the flush tank may be discharged into the toilet bowl and to disable again the connection between the flush tank and the toilet bowl once said opening has remained open for a certain time, preferably for a time sufficient for the fluid in the flush tank to discharge into the toilet bowl.

The control unit, after causing the connection between the flush tank and the toilet bowl to be enabled by the discharge member as a result of the triggering member being triggered and after enabling the fluid in the flush tank to be discharged into the toilet bowl, does not for a predefined time send to the discharge member the instruction necessary for said discharge member to enable the connection between the flush tank and the toilet bowl, even if the triggering member is triggered again during such time; in other words, the control unit prevents and/or delays the conveyance of the fluid in the flush tank into the toilet bowl. In the embodiment where the conveyance of the fluid into the toilet bowl is prevented, the control unit switches the triggering member into the nonfunctional state for the predefined time; in other words, the control unit blocks the instructions coming from the triggering member. In the embodiment where the conveyance of the fluid into the toilet bowl is delayed, the control unit waits for the predefined time, and at the end of said predefined time, the control unit automatically sends the instruction required for the discharge member to enable the connection between the flush tank and the toilet bowl in order to discharge the fluid into the toilet bowl. Said predefined time is defined in the control unit by the user and/or the manufacturer and may be changed any time desired depending on the user preferences and needs, again via the control unit.

A preferred embodiment of the invention comprises at least one visual and/or audible information member intended to provide the user with information about the predefined time having elapsed, the predefined time having not yet elapsed and/or how much time is left until the predefined time elapses. Thus the information such as the flushing system being ready for use and/or the flushing system being not ready for use and/or how soon the flushing system will be ready for use and/or the delayed second discharge process having been recorded is provided to the user.

In the flushing system according to the invention, the activation of the flushing system for a second time is prevented or delayed until a predefined time elapses after the flushing system was activated the first time; in other words, the realization of a second discharge process is prevented and/or delayed until the fluid in the flush tank reaches the desired level. In this way, the undesired consumption of water may be precluded and further, an increase in the time required for the quantity of fluid in the flush tank to reach the fluid quantity needed for an effective flushing may be prevented.