Toilet Device Having A Backflushing Function For A Particle Filter

Abstract

A toilet device for a rail vehicle includes flushing water-carrying installations and wastewater-carrying installations. The flushing water-carrying installations include an intermediate reservoir for storing flushing water and a supply line for supplying the intermediate reservoir with flushing water. The supply line includes a filter for filtering the flushing water supplied to the intermediate reservoir. The supply line is connected to the intermediate reservoir such that flushing water from the intermediate reservoir can be returned through the filter. A backflushing line is connected to the filter and opens into a wastewater-carrying installation. A method for operating the toilet device includes supplying the flushing water through a filter to fill the intermediate reservoir, and flushing a flushable bowl with flushing water from the intermediate reservoir or backflushing the filter with flushing water from the intermediate reservoir and draining off the flushing water to a wastewater-carrying installation.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A toilet device for a rail vehicle, the toilet device comprising: flushing water-carrying installations and waste water-carrying installations; said flushing water-carrying installations including an intermediate tank for storing flushing water; said flushing water-carrying installations including a supply line for supplying said intermediate tank with flushing water, said supply line including a filter for filtering the flushing water supplied to said intermediate tank, and said supply line being connected to said intermediate tank for conducting flushing water back from said intermediate tank through said filter; and a backflushing line connected to said filter and opening into one of said waste water-carrying installations.

17. The toilet device according to claim 16, wherein said waste water-carrying installations include a bowl to be flushed with flushing water, said backflushing line opening into said bowl

18. The toilet device according to claim 16, which further comprises an inlet valve in said supply line, said inlet valve at least controlling a supply of the flushing water to said intermediate tank.

19. The toilet device according to claim 16, which further comprises a device for applying pressure to the flushing water in said intermediate tank.

20. The toilet device according to claim 16, wherein: said waste water-carrying installations include a flushable bowl; and said flushing water-carrying installations include a flushing water line for conveying the flushing water from said intermediate tank to said flushable bowl and an outlet valve in said flushing water line for controlling a removal of flushing water from said intermediate tank to said flushable bowl.

21. The toilet device according to claim 20, wherein said flushable bowl includes flushing nozzles hydraulically connected to said flushing water line, and said flushable bowl includes at least one backflushing opening hydraulically connected to said backflushing line.

22. The toilet device according to claim 16, wherein said backflushing line includes an overpressure valve for closing said backflushing line as soon as a pressure of the flushing water in said backflushing line drops below a predetermined threshold value.

23. The toilet device according to claim 16, wherein: said supply line includes one end connected to said intermediate tank and a further end disposed opposite to said one end; and said supply line includes a non-return valve for closing said supply line to a flow of flushing water from said filter to said further end of said supply line.

24. The toilet device according to claim 16, wherein said filter is a Y-shaped pipe section including a ring-shaped filter insert.

25. A rail vehicle, comprising at least one toilet device according to claim 16.

26. A method for operating a toilet device according to claim 16, the method comprising the following steps: a) providing flushing water-carrying installations including an intermediate tank for storing flushing water, a supply line connected to the intermediate tank and a filter in the supply line; b) providing waste water-carrying installations including a flushable bowl; c) providing a backflushing line connected to the filter and opening into one of the waste water-carrying installations; d) conveying the flushing water through the supply line with the filter to fill the intermediate tank; and e) flushing the flushable bowl with flushing water from the intermediate tank or f) backflushing the filter with the flushing water from the intermediate tank and diverting the flushing water through the backflushing line into one of the waste water-carrying installations.

27. The method according to claim 26, which further comprises: providing an inlet valve in the supply line to at least control a supply of the flushing water to the intermediate tank; the inlet valve being open or being opened to carry out step d), the inlet valve being closed or becoming closed to carry out step e), and the inlet valve being open or being opened to carry process step f).

28. The method according to claim 26, which further comprises: providing the flushing water-carrying installations with a flushing water line for conveying the flushing water from the intermediate tank to the flushable bowl and an outlet valve in the flushing water line for controlling a removal of flushing water from the intermediate tank to the flushable bowl; the outlet valve being closed or becoming closed to carry out step d), the outlet valve being open or being opened to carry out step e), and the outlet valve being closed or becoming closed to carry out step f).

29. The method according to claim 26, which further comprises exposing the flushing water in the intermediate tank to overpressure before carrying out steps e) or f).

30. The method according to claim 26, which further comprises carrying out step f): depending on a flow volume of flushing water through the filter detected in step d) or depending on a pressure difference detected in step d) in the supply line upstream and downstream of the filter or depending on a time detected for filling the intermediate tank with a predetermined amount of flushing water in step d).

Description

[0053] The invention allows of numerous embodiments. It is explained in greater detail with the help of the following figures, in which an exemplary embodiment is depicted in each case. The same elements in the figures are provided with the same reference numbers.

[0054] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a toilet device according to the state of the art,

[0055] FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of a toilet device according to the invention,

[0056] FIG. 3 shows a filter according to the invention in cross section, with flushing water flowing through the filter in the filter direction,

[0057] FIG. 4 shows the filter according to the invention from FIG. 3 in cross section, with flushing water flowing through the filter in the cleaning direction,

[0058] FIG. 5 shows a further embodiment of a filter according to the invention in cross section, with flushing water flowing through the filter in the filter direction,

[0059] FIG. 6 shows the filter according to the invention from FIG. 5 in cross section, with flushing water flowing through the filter in the cleaning direction.

[0060] A toilet device according to the state of the art is shown schematically in FIG. 1. It comprises an intermediate tank 7 which is hydraulically connected via a flushing water line 4 and an outlet valve 8 in the flushing water line 4 to a flushable bowl 12. The flushing water originating from the intermediate tank 7 and transported through the flushing water line 4 is ejected through flushing nozzles 5 into the flushable bowl 12.

[0061] In order to fill the intermediate tank 7, the toilet device comprises a supply line 1, 2 which, on the one hand, opens out in the intermediate tank 7 and, on the other hand, is connected to a fresh water tank 18 as the supply device. The supply line 1, 2 in this case is divided up by a filter 14. A first section of the supply line 1 is therefore arranged between the fresh water tank 18 and the filter 14, a second section of the supply line 2 runs between the filter 14 and the intermediate tank 7. The filter 14 itself could be referred to as the third section of the supply line. A non-return valve 13 prevents the backflow of flushing water through the first section of the supply line 1 from the filter 14 to the fresh water tank 18.

[0062] The intermediate tank 7 is connected to a device for the application of pressure to the flushing water in the intermediate tank 7; in this case the intermediate tank 7 is connected via a compressed air valve 11 to a compressed air installation. An inlet valve 9 can then also be provided in the second section of the supply line 2, in order to retain the pressure in the intermediate tank. Alternatively, the pressure in the intermediate tank 7 may also be produced by means of spring force and a diaphragm.

[0063] In the toilet device depicted, the bowl 12 is flushed with flushing water from the intermediate tank 7 which is pressed to one or more flushing nozzles 5 under the action of the pressure that has built up in the intermediate tank.

[0064] The intermediate tank 7 is filled with flushing water from the fresh water tank 18 through the non-return valve 13, the filter 14 and though the supply line 1, 2, if necessary following the opening of the inlet valve. When a nominal level is reached, the filling is terminated and the inlet valve is closed again if necessary.

[0065] In order to flush the bowl 12, the outlet valve 8 is opened, the pressure valve 11 is opened beforehand where necessary, in order to expose the flushing liquid in the intermediate tank to overpressure, and the flushing water flows through the flushing water line 4 and through the flushing nozzles 5 into the bowl 12. Finally, the content of the bowl is drained via the waste water line 17.

[0066] The exemplary embodiment of a toilet device according to the invention schematically depicted in FIG. 2 comprises at least one bowl 12 that can be flushed with flushing water, at least one intermediate tank 7 for storing flushing water, at least one flushing water line 4 between the intermediate tank 7 and the flushable bowl 12, at least one device for producing the flushing pressure in the flushing line 4, at least one outlet valve 8 in the at least one flushing water line 4, at least one supply line 1, 2 for supplying flushing water to the intermediate tank 7 and at least one filter 14 in the supply line 1, 2 for filtering the flushing water supplied to the intermediate tank 7 through the supply line 1, 2 and through the filter 14 and also a backflushing line 3.

[0067] The flushing water line 4 is primarily used to convey flushing water out of the intermediate tank 7 to the flushable bowl 12. The outlet valve is likewise arranged between the intermediate tank 7 and the flushable bowl 12 and is used to control the flow of flushing water through the flushing water line 4 from the intermediate tank 7 to the flushable bowl 12.

[0068] The supply line 1, 2 in this case runs between a fresh water tank 18, as the supply device of the rail vehicle, and the intermediate tank 7. In this case, a first section of the supply line 1 is in turn arranged between the fresh water tank 18 and the filter 14 and a second section of the supply line 2 runs between the filter 14 and the intermediate tank 7.

[0069] A compressed air valve 11 via which the intermediate tank 7 is connected to a compressed air installation which is not shown and which carries compressed air is used here as the device for the application of pressure. Alternatively, the pressure may also be generated by a spring-loaded diaphragm or another suitable pump device.

[0070] The supply line 1, 2, in this case the second section of the supply line 2, is connected to the intermediate tank 7 in such a manner that flushing water from the intermediate tank 7 can be conveyed back through the filter 14. In this case, the second section of the supply line 2 opens out in the lower part of the intermediate tank 7.

[0071] The flushing water line 4 and the supply line 1, 2 in this case are jointly connected to the intermediate container 7. Alternatively, the aforementioned lines are connected to the intermediate tank 7 separately from one another.

[0072] Apart from the outlet valve 8 in the flushing water line 4 for controlling the flow of flushing water through the flushing water line 4, the toilet device in this case also comprises an inlet valve 9 in the supply line 2 for controlling the flow of flushing water through the supply line 2. The inlet valve 9 in this case is arranged between the filter 14 and the intermediate tank 7 in the second section of the supply line 2.

[0073] In order to clean the filter, the inlet valve 9 is opened and the pressurized flushing water flows out of the flushing water tank 7 through the second section of the supply line 2 to the filter 14 and against the filter direction through a filter insert.

[0074] Moreover, the toilet device has at least one backflushing line 3. It is used to transport flushing water flowing back from the intermediate tank 7 through the filter 14 into a waste water-carrying installation, in this case into the flushable bowl 12, and therefore to carry away the filtrate backflushed out of the filter.

[0075] In this case, the backflushing line 3 is, on the one hand, directly connected to the flushable bowl 12 and, on the other hand, directly connected to the filter 14. The connection of the filter 14 to the backflushing line 3 should be seen as hydraulic and not necessarily direct. Alternatively, the backflushing line 3 may also be connected to the supply line 1, 2, particularly to the first section of the supply line 1 lying downstream during the backflow. A branch and possibly a controllable or automatic switch point or a valve is then provided in the supply line 1, in order to conduct the backflow of flushing water through the backflushing line 3. As soon as the flushing water leaves the flushing nozzles 5, it is treated as waste water. The flushable bowl 12 is therefore included among the waste water-carrying installations. Examples of waste water-carrying installations, apart from the bowl 12, are also waste water pipes or a waste water tank, into which the backflushing line 3 can open out directly. Since the backflushing line itself conducts the flushing water contaminated with particles or foreign bodies released from the filter 14, the backflushing line 3 could also be included among the waste water-carrying installations.

[0076] When the inlet valve 9 is open, the supply line 1, 2 between the fresh water tank 18 and the intermediate tank 7 and the intermediate tank 7 can therefore be filled. Equally, the supply line 1, 2 is connected to the intermediate tank 7 in such a manner that when the inlet valve 9 is open, flushing water can flow back out of the intermediate tank 7 through the filter 14. The inlet valve 9 must be open both for the filling of the intermediate tank 7 and also for the cleaning of the filter 14. On the other hand, in order to flush the bowl 12 and avoid unnecessary water loss, the inlet valve 9 must otherwise be kept closed.

[0077] So that no flushing water is carried away through the backflushing line 3 during the filling of the intermediate tank 7, said backflushing line comprises an overpressure valve 10 which only allows flushing water which is at a predetermined pressure to pass through. The technical requirements of the overpressure valve 10 are low. It may be designed for maximum dirt resistance, as there are no mandatory water-saving obligations for this line branch. The overpressure valve 10 ensures that backflushing is carried out only above a minimum pressure.

[0078] The time taken to fill the intermediate tank 7 can be monitored, so that if there is a significant increase in the time taken, it can be concluded that the filter 14 is at least partially blocked. In order to avoid a malfunction of the entire toilet device, the filter 14 with the filter insert is then backflushed.

[0079] For the backflushing of the filter 14 with filter insert, the pressure is increased, in particular a predetermined backflushing pressure is set, in the intermediate tank 7 which is at least partially filled with flushing water, as in the case of normal flushing, by opening the pressure valve 11. Unlike in the case of normal flushing, the outlet valve 8 remains closed, however. Instead of this, the inlet valve 9 is opened. Flushing water then flows from the intermediate tank 7 against the filter direction of the filter 14 through the filter 14 and the filter insert. Since the non-return valve 13 is closed, the content of the filter 14 and the filter insert is flushed out and conducted through the backflushing line 3 to the backflushing opening 6 and from there into the bowl 12. Following the opening of the outlet valve 8 for complete pressure equalization, normal flushing of the bowl is initiated and the content of the bowl 12 is drained into the waste water system 17.

[0080] The backflushing process may take place continuously and with the complete volume of the intermediate tank 7 in one run or dynamically through cyclical opening and closing of the inlet valve. During dynamic flushing, the pressure fluctuations during the pulsing backflushing action influence the backflushing performance.

[0081] According to the schematic representations in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the filter 14 with filter insert in the supply line 1, 2 is provided with an additional outlet. Through this outlet, the content 16 of the filter insert 15 can be conducted through the backflushing line 3 into the bowl. Arrows in FIG. 3 in this case show the flow direction of the flushing water during a filling of the intermediate tank. In FIG. 4, on the other hand, the flow direction of the flushing water during backflushing is indicated.

[0082] The filter insert 15 is automatically and regularly cleaned. In this case, an at least large part of the filtrate 16 is disposed of in a non-hazardous manner. At least coarse and voluminous impurities are removed from the filter insert 15. Fine impurities are also reduced. In this way, the service life of the toilet device is substantially increased and the maintenance costs are reduced. Periods out of service can be avoided. The filtrate 16 is disposed of in the black water area. No manual actions are required. By using a filter 14 with a limited space requirement, a sanitary module in a rail vehicle can accommodate the entire toilet device, including entire backflushing installations. No further attachments or pipes outside the sanitary module are required. FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 show an alternative embodiment of the filter 14 and a different connection configuration from the configuration in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. The filter 14 in this case is configured as a pipe section without a branch. It again comprises a filter insert 15 which filters particles which accumulate in the filter insert 15 out of the fresh water in a predetermined flow direction of the flushing water during a filling of the intermediate tank. The filter insert 15 is inserted in the filter accordingly.

[0083] FIG. 5 illustrates this filling process. Fresh water flows from the direction of the supply device through the supply line 1 and the non-return valve 13 opened in the flow direction, in order to pass through the filter 14 with its filter insert 15 further downstream in the filter direction. The pressure is not sufficient to open a non-return valve 10 which closes a backflushing line 3 which, for its part, is directly connected to the supply line 2 between the non-return valve 10 and the filter 14. The filtered fresh water is further supplied to the intermediate tank through the supply line 2.

[0084] In order to clean the filter insert 15 and remove the particles from the filter insert 15 in the flushing water line 3, as depicted in FIG. 6, flushing water is conveyed from the intermediate tank through the filter 14 in the backflushing direction. The non-return valve 10 opens the supply line 1 at the predetermined pressure; the non-return valve 13, conversely, closes it.