FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a tipping bucket toilet system. More specifically, but not exclusively, the invention relates to a tipping bucket toilet system located within a toilet cistern and which can be installed on any conventional toilet bowl.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Most known toilets include a cistern or tank that holds a considerable amount of water between flushes, and a flush valve at the bottom of the cistern. To initiate a flush, the flush valve is lifted off a flush valve seat and at least a portion of the stored water is released to flow from the cistern to a toilet bowl associated with the cistern.

In recent years, many areas around the globe have experienced severe water shortages and as a result, conservation and sparing use of water have become important issues. Unfortunately, most currently installed toilets still include the abovementioned conventional flush valves that are prone to leak frequently and waste large quantities of water. Such malfunctioning flush valves, which are generally caused by deterioration of the valves, result in slow water leaks that may not be noticed until an excessive volume of water has been wasted.

A further problem related to conventional flush valves and toilets is that they are not manufactured for accuracy or precision, and often have inaccurate, variable flush volumes. For example, during some flushes, because the cistern was under filled, the volume of water used is insufficient to clear the toilet bowl, requiring a second flush and wasting water. On the other hand, during other flushes, too much water is used because the cistern was over filled.

A tipping bucket toilet system eliminates the need for a valve at the bottom of the toilet cistern which, as described above, is the cause of most toilet leaks. One such tipping bucket type toilet is the so-called Niagara Flapperless Toilet, disclosed in United States Patent Number 6,317,899, entitled 'Dual Flush Toilet'. This dual flush water conservation toilet includes separate fill tanks in the toilet cistern, which pivot along the cistern's longitudinal axis to deposit water into a plenum chamber in the cistern. The fill tanks are selectively pivoted to deposit different quantities of water for flushes. There is also a single flush version of the Niagara Flapperless Toilet available on the market. A disadvantage of this tipping bucket type toilet is that the cistern is substantially wider, in side view, than existing toilet tanks, in order to accommodate the fill buckets disposed therein. It is thus not possible to retrofit or to install such a cistern with its tipping bucket system to an existing toilet, since the lid of the toilet bowl of the existing toilet cannot open completely. A second disadvantage of this tipping bucket type toilet is that the bucket is limited in the amount of water it can hold. If there is a need to increase the volume of the bucket, the size of the cistern must be increased excessively, which is impractical.

A second tipping bucket type toilet known to the applicant is disclosed in United States Patent Application Number 675,491 , entitled 'Flushing Tank'. This flushing apparatus essentially consists of two tanks, with one contained and pivotally supported within the other. A disadvantage associated with this apparatus is that its flushing lever protrudes from a side of the outer tank, which makes it impractical for use in applications where space is limited.

A third tipping bucket type toilet the applicant is aware of, is disclosed in United States Patent Application Number 1 ,325,934, entitled 'Flush Closet Tank'. This flushing system also includes two tanks, with the one contained and pivotally supported within the other. Its flushing handle is located on the front wall of the outer tank and connected to the inner tank by means of various links. As such, this flushing system includes a complicated internal flushing mechanism with lots of moving parts, making it less cost effective to produces and more difficult to repair should one or more of its components fail.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a tipping bucket toilet system, with which the aforesaid disadvantages can be overcome or at least minimised and/or which provides a useful alternative to known tipping bucket toilet systems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, there is provided a tipping bucket toilet system comprising: - a tipping bucket which is adapted to be located within a toilet cistern having opposing front and rear cistern walls, opposing side cistern walls extending between the front and rear cistern walls, and an outlet defined in a bottom thereof, which toilet cistern is, in use, in communication with a toilet bowl, the tipping bucket being pivotable about a pivoting axis between a storing position wherein water is filled and stored in the bucket, and a discharging position wherein the bucket is tipped to release the water contained therein, to pass into the toilet bowl via the outlet in order to flush the toilet; and

- flushing means protruding from the tipping bucket through the cistern to tip and displace the tipping bucket from its storing position to its discharging position.

There is provided for the flushing means to include a flushing member which protrudes from the tipping bucket through the front wall of the cistern. Preferably, the flushing member may protrude through the front wall at a centre region thereof.

There is further provided for the system to include the cistern, as defined above.

The cistern may further include a flushing aperture, for receiving the flushing member there through. According to an example embodiment of the invention, the cistern may include a hole in its front wall and a disc-shaped body removably secured therein, the disc-shaped body defining the flushing aperture therein.

According to an example embodiment of the invention, the flushing aperture may be an elongate flushing aperture defining a guide which the flushing member follows and moves along in displacing the tipping bucket from its storing position to its discharging position. Preferably, the elongate flushing aperture may be curved. More preferably, the elongate flushing aperture may be in the form of an arc, having a uniform radius. Most preferably, the radius' centre may be located on the pivoting axis.

The pivoting axis may be orientated operatively horizontally and may extend transverse to an operatively horizontal longitudinal axis of the toilet cistern and between the front and rear cistern walls.

There is further provided for the system to include baffling means to restrict the splashing of water in an operatively upwardly direction between the tipping bucket and at least one side of the cistern. Preferably, the baffling means may include a planar baffle member which, with the tipping bucket in its storing position, protrudes in an operatively downwardly direction from a side of the tipping bucket.

The tipping bucket may be pivotally connected to the toilet cistern on the pivoting axis by connecting means, which allows the bucket to pivot in a sideward direction from the storing position to the discharging position in order to release the water contained therein.

The connecting means may include a pair of lugs protruding outwardly from opposing ends of the tipping bucket, and a pair of u-shaped supports protruding inwardly from the front and rear cistern walls for respectively receiving each of the pair of lugs. The tipping bucket may be biased to its storing position, so that, as soon as the water has been released from the bucket, it returns to the storing position to be replenished with water once again. The tipping bucket may be biased by it being shaped such that its centre of gravity, irrespective of the bucket being full or empty, biases it to its storing position.

These and other features of the invention are described in more detail below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention are described below, by way of non-limiting examples only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a toilet including a tipping bucket toilet system in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a similar view to that of figure 1 , also showing the interior of the tipping bucket toilet system;

Figure 3 is a front view of the toilet of figures 1 and 2, showing a tipping bucket of the system in a storing position;

Figure 4 is a similar view to that of figure 3, showing the tipping bucket in a discharging position; Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of securing means used for connecting a toilet cistern to a toilet bowl;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a toilet including a tipping bucket toilet system in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention; and

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a toilet including a tipping bucket toilet system in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention, also showing the interior of the tipping bucket toilet system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings, in which like features are indicated by like numerals, a tipping bucket toilet system according to a first embodiment of the invention is generally designated by reference numeral 10A in figures 1 to 4, a tipping bucket toilet system according to a second embodiment of the invention is generally designated by reference numeral 10B in figure 6, and a tipping bucket toilet system according to a third embodiment of the invention is generally designated by reference numeral 10C in figure 7.

Figure 1 shows a toilet 12 including the system 10A secured to a toilet bowl 14 thereof. Referring particularly to figures 2 to 4, the system 10A comprises a tipping bucket 16 and a toilet cistern 18 having opposing front and rear cistern walls 20.1 and 20.2, opposing side cistern walls 22 extending between the front and rear cistern walls 20.1 and 20.2, and an outlet 24 defined in a bottom thereof. The cistern 18 also includes a rounded cover 25 at its top, which is removable for gaining access to the interior of the cistern 18. In use, the cistern 18 is in communication with the toilet bowl 14. The bucket 16, which is adapted to be located within the cistern 18, is pivotable about a pivoting axis A between a storing position (as shown in figures 2 and 3) wherein water 26 is filled and stored in the bucket 16 and a discharging position (as shown in figure 4) wherein the bucket 16 is tipped so to release the water 26 contained therein, to pass into the toilet bowl 14 via the outlet 24 in order to flush the toilet 12. As shown, the pivoting axis A is orientated operatively horizontally and extends transverse to an operatively horizontal longitudinal axis B of the cistern 18 and between the front and rear cistern walls 20.1 and 20.2.

The bucket 16 is hollow and semi-circular in shape having opposing front and rear ends 28.1 and 28.2, opposing side bucket walls 30 extending between the front and rear ends 28.1 and 28.2, and a curved base 32. As is best shown in figure 3, the base 32 is curved such that one side of the bucket 16 (being the left hand side in this example) is heavier by having more material and is able to hold more water 26 than the opposing side. This ensures that the bucket 16 is biased to its storing position by its centre of gravity being offset to the heavier side which holds more water 26. By biasing the bucket 16, it is ensured that, as soon as the water 26 has been released from the bucket 16, it returns to the storing position to be replenished with water 26 once again. The system 10A further includes flushing means in the form of a flushing member 34 which protrudes from the bucket 16 through an elongate flushing aperture 36 in the cistern 18 to tip and displace the bucket 16 from its storing position to its discharging position. The flushing aperture 36 is defined in the front cistern wall 20.1 . The flushing member 34 is an arm. A free end of the member 34 includes a handle 38 or knob for a user to grip, hold and operate the member 34. The flushing aperture 36 is located, in front view, in a central region of the front cistern wall 20.1 , which central region is spaced from the side cistern walls 22 as well as bottom and top of the cistern 18. An enlarged view of this central region is shown in figure 2. The flushing aperture 36 is curved in the form of an arc, having a uniform radius which centre is located on the pivoting axis A. The aperture 36 receives the flushing member 34 there through and defines a guide, route or path which the flushing member 34 has to follow and move along in order to displace the bucket 16 from its storing position to its discharging position.

The bucket 16 is pivotally connected to the cistern 18 at the pivoting axis A by connecting means, which includes, according to this example embodiment, a pair of lugs 40 which respectively protrude outwardly from the front and rear ends 28.1 and 28.2 of the bucket 16, and a pair of u-shaped supports 42 which protrude inwardly from the front and rear cistern walls 20.1 and 20.2. Each of the supports 42 receives and supports a lug 40 therein. Through the connecting means, the bucket 16 is able to pivot in a sideward direction by approximately 120 degrees from the storing position to the releasing position in order to release the water 26 contained therein. The system 10A also includes baffling means in the form of a planar baffling member 44 to restrict the splashing of water 26 in an operatively upwardly direction between the bucket 16 and at least one of the side cistern walls 22. The baffling member 44 protrudes in an operatively downwardly direction from the one side wall 30 of the bucket 16. When the bucket 16 is in its discharging position, as shown in figure 4, it should be appreciated that water 26 will flow turbulent from the bucket 16 and the baffle member 44, which abuts one of the side cistern walls 22, will prevent at least some of the water 26 from moving past it so to reduce splash. The system 10A further includes a conventional water inlet arrangement including a floatation device 46 and nozzle 48 connected to the water mains supply (not shown) in order to fill the bucket 16 with water 26, as is known in the art.

By utilizing the securing means 50, as depicted in figure 5, the system 10A could be secured to any existing toilet bowl, such as a close-couple toilet, where the cistern 18 is mounted on top of the bowl 14. Furthermore, the cistern 18 including the system 10A could be positioned on and secured to an existing toilet. It often happens that when a new toilet cistern is to be secured to an existing toilet bowl, the holes provided for the connectors do not align. However, by using the securing means 50, this problem could be overcome. The securing means 50 includes two disc shaped bodies 52 connected to each other with two upwardly extending connectors 54 and two downwardly extending connectors 56. The two upwardly extending connectors 54 are adapted to connect to the cistern 18 and the two downwardly extending connectors 56 are adapted to connect to the toilet bowl 14. These four connectors 54 and 56 are movable relative to each other so that they are able to connect to align with holes provided in different toilet tanks and bowls.

Turning now to figure 6, the system 10B is similar to the system 10A described above, save for its cistern 18.1 defining a hole 58 in the centre region of its front wall 20.1 and including a disc-shaped body 60 which is removably secured in the hole 58, as shown. The body 60 defines the flushing aperture 36 therein. According to a preferred embodiment, the body 60 would be secured in the hole 58 by means of a snap-fit configuration, as is generally known in the art.

Referring to figure 7, the system 10C is similar to the system 10A described above save for the shape and location of its flushing aperture 36.1 and handle 58. The flushing aperture 36.1 is located in line with the pivoting axis A and generally round in shape to accommodate the flushing member 34. The flushing member 34 thus protrudes through the aperture 36.1 in line with the pivoting axis A and includes the handle 58 on a free end thereof for turning the member 34, in use, to release the water 26 from the bucket 16 in order to flush the toilet 12. In use, the flushing member 34 would have to be turned in a clockwise direction to tip the bucket 16. It should be appreciated that the invention discloses tipping bucket toilet systems 10A, 10B and 10C that would be cost-effective to produce and easy to maintain. In this regard, it is worth noting that the systems 10A, 10B and 10C incorporate fewer components than other similar systems known to the applicant and are also aesthetically appealing. Further, the systems 10A, 10B and 10C could be factory assembled and quickly installed on site. All of this makes the systems 10A, 10B and 10C very attractive for use in rural areas where the supply of spare parts are limited, although their use is not limited to such areas.

It will be appreciated that variations in detail are possible with a tipping bucket toilet system according to the invention without departing from the scope of the appended claims. For example, the cistern 18 could be mounted on a wall (not shown) or even inside the wall. Also, water could alternatively be supplied via the underside or rear end of the cistern, instead to its side, as shown in the drawings. Further, the bucket 16 could be biased to its storing position and secured to the cistern 18 in any suitable manner.