Sanitary fixture in the form of a water closet

Abstract

A sanitary fixture having a body with an upwardly open pan region. A water chamber is provided in the region of the upper rim of the pan region and, when viewed horizontally, protrudes into the pan region. At least one flushing opening oriented downwardly into the pan region is provided on the chamber side. At least one connecting portion is provided in the rear region of the body for connecting a flushing water supply pipe for supplying flushing water into the water chamber, the flushing water flowing therefrom into the pan region via the at least one flushing opening on the chamber side. The water chamber extends only in a rear rim region. At least one second flushing opening is provided oriented to the front to permit a tangential flushing of the water into the pan region and is able to be supplied with flushing water.

Claims

1. A sanitary fixture formed as a WC, comprising a body having an upwardly open pan region, a water chamber provided in a region of the upper rim of the pan region and, when viewed horizontally, protrudes into the pan region, wherein at least one first flushing opening oriented downwardly into the pan region is provided on a side of the chamber, and at least one connecting portion provided in a rear region of the body for connecting a flushing water supply pipe for supplying flushing water into the water chamber, the flushing water flowing from the water chamber into the pan region via the at least one flushing opening, wherein the water chamber extends only in a rear rim region and, in addition to the at least one first flushing opening, a second flushing opening is provided, said second flushing opening being oriented to a front of the body, permitting a tangential flushing of the water into the pan region and being able to be supplied with flushing water, wherein a further connecting portion with a further connecting opening is provided for a further flushing water supply pipe supplied via a pressure generating apparatus, wherein a channel runs off from the further connecting opening and discharges in an outlet running off at a lower end of the pan region and running toward a rear face of the body.

2. The sanitary fixture according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second flushing openings are fed together with flushing water from the water chamber or in each case a separate connecting portion of the at least one connecting portion is provided for supplying the flushing water to the first and second flushing things.

3. The sanitary fixture according to claim 1, wherein the second flushing opening discharges into a water guide portion that at least partially runs around the pan region, is open laterally toward the pan region and is configured on the body.

4. The sanitary fixture according to claim 3, wherein the water guide portion is delimited on an upper face by a projection oriented toward an interior of the pan region, and on a lower face by a shoulder on a side of the pan.

5. The sanitary fixture according to claim 4, wherein the projection is formed by the upper rim of the pan region, said upper rim extending toward the interior of the pan region.

6. The sanitary fixture according to claim 3, wherein the water guide portion circulates by at least 180° relative to an opposing side of the pan region.

7. The sanitary fixture according to claim 6, wherein the water guide portion extends as far as an opposite side of the water chamber or below the water chamber.

8. The sanitary fixture according to claim 3, wherein a horizontal depth of the water guide portion reduces toward an end.

9. The sanitary fixture according to claim 1, wherein the second flushing opening is provided in an axial extension of a connecting opening of the connecting portion.

10. The Sanitary fixture according to claim 9, wherein the second flushing opening is adjacent to a side wall of the pan region and the connecting opening is provided correspondingly laterally offset relative to a vertical longitudinal central plane of the body.

11. The sanitary fixture according to claim 9, wherein a diameter or a cross-sectional surface of the second flushing opening is smaller than a diameter or a cross-sectional surface of the connecting opening.

12. The sanitary fixture according to claim 9, wherein a connecting piece to which the flushing water supply pipe is fastenable, is fastened to the first connecting portion and/or to the further connecting portion, in particular is bonded into the first and/or second connecting opening.

13. The sanitary fixture according to claim 12, wherein the connecting piece is bonded into the connecting opening and/or the further connecting opening.

14. The sanitary fixture according to claim 1, wherein the water chamber extends substantially over a common width on both sides relative to a vertical longitudinal central plane of the body.

15. The sanitary fixture according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of first flushing openings are provided so as to be arranged in an arcuate row.

16. The sanitary fixture according to claim 1, further comprising a water guide pipe which extends from the connecting opening to the second flushing opening.

17. The sanitary fixture according to claim 16, wherein the water guide pipe comprises at least one lateral opening permitting a water outlet to the water chamber.

18. A sanitary assembly comprising the sanitary fixture according to claim 1 and a flushing water supply apparatus with a pressure generating apparatus, and a first and at least one further flushing water supply pipe coupled thereto, which are connected or connectable to the first and to the further connecting portion.

19. The sanitary assembly according to claim 18, wherein the flushing water supply apparatus comprises a control apparatus and a valve apparatus that is controllable by the control apparatus, wherein the flushing water is supplied to the first and/or the at least one further flushing water supply pipe via the valve apparatus.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) In the drawing:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic view, in horizontal section, of a sanitary fixture according to the invention in the form of a WC according to a first embodiment,

(3) FIG. 2 shows the WC of FIG. 1 in vertical section,

(4) FIG. 3 shows such a WC in a perspective view,

(5) FIG. 4 shows the WC of FIG. 3 in a perspective view from the other side,

(6) FIG. 5 shows a perspective rear side view of the WC of FIG. 3,

(7) FIG. 6 shows a perspective view in the form of a schematic view of a flushing water supply apparatus for a WC according to FIG. 3,

(8) FIG. 7 shows a schematic view, in horizontal section, of a WC of a second embodiment,

(9) FIG. 8 shows a schematic view of a water guide pipe for inserting into the water chamber, and

(10) FIG. 9 shows a sectional view of the guide pipe.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(11) FIG. 1 shows a sanitary fixture 1 according to the invention in the form of a WC comprising a body 2, conventionally made of a ceramic material, which is preferably produced in a hollow casting. The body 2 has a pan region 3 which is upwardly open, see also the vertical section according to FIG. 2 relative thereto. The pan region has a rear region 4, a front region 5 and two side regions 6, 7. The pan region 3 discharges in an outflow 8 which, see FIG. 2, terminates in a rear outflow connecting piece 9, which in the manner known per se extends upwardly and to which an outflow pipe is connected.

(12) The WC according to the invention has a water chamber 10 which as is visible, see FIG. 1, is provided only in the rear region 4 and extends on both sides of a vertical longitudinal central plane 11. Relative to this longitudinal central plane 11 the chamber volume and the chamber geometry are virtually equal on both sides, i.e. a symmetrical chamber construction is provided.

(13) The water chamber extends, see FIG. 2, toward the interior of the pan region 3, i.e. protrudes on the rim side. On the lower face of this protruding region the water chamber 10 is provided with a plurality of first flushing openings 12, see in particular FIG. 1, which are arranged in an arcuate manner corresponding to the rounded geometry of the pan region 3.

(14) The water chamber 10 also has a first connecting portion 13 with a connecting opening 14 into which a connecting piece which is made of metal or consists of plastics is sealingly bonded, in order to connect a flushing water supply pipe thereto. The water chamber 10 is supplied with flushing water via this connecting opening 14 so that via the first flushing openings 12 the water, as shown in FIG. 2 by the arrow P1, flows down vertically and with a short flow path directly into the region of the outflow 8.

(15) A second flushing opening 15 is provided in an axial extension to the laterally provided connecting opening 14, said second flushing opening also being supplied with flushing water via the water chamber 10. This second flushing opening 15 permits a horizontal and tangential flushing of the flushing water along the pan surface, starting in the side region 6. The tangential flow is indicated by the arrow P2. A rotational flushing is formed thereby, since the horizontally and tangentially flushed flushing water circulates around the pan with this primary flow direction, i.e. from the side region 6 into the front region 5 and from there into the opposing side region 7. Parallel to this effectively rotational flow, naturally a part of the flushed water also flows downwardly so that the entire side and front pan region is flushed thereby.

(16) A water guide portion 16 is provided in order to keep the flushing water, which is flushed in via the second flushing opening 15, as long as possible in the upper rim region, said water guide portion being configured on the body 2, as FIGS. 1 and 2 show, and starting from the second flushing opening 15 circulating around the lateral region 6, the front region 5 and the opposing lateral region 7 and extending to the other side of the water chamber 10, optionally running slightly below this water chamber. The water guide portion is formed, for example, via a horizontally projecting shoulder which provides a water running surface along which the water flows. This water guide portion 16 on the upper face is encompassed by a short inwardly oriented projection 17 of the upper rim 18 of the pan region 3, any outward overspray being avoided by said projection 17. Downwardly, the water guide portion 16 is defined by a peripheral shoulder 19 configured on the body, see FIG. 2, so that effectively a water guide portion 16, which is recessed in the pan wall in which the flushing water is guided, is formed. Thus a defined water guide surface is provided via the water guide portion 16 in order to circulate the flushing water as far as possible, wherein due to the supplied quantity of water during the circulating flow a sufficient quantity of water naturally also runs downwardly in order to flush the entire pan surface.

(17) Whilst in the examples shown the water guide portion 16 circulates fully, it is also conceivable to permit the water guide portion 16 to circulate only by ca. 180° or the like, thus not to extend over the entire opposing side surface 7 but to terminate in the region thereof or shortly in front of said region. Similarly the horizontal depth of the water guide portion 16 may also taper toward its end, i.e. the shoulder 19 becomes narrower and tapers off toward the end.

(18) The supply of the first and second flushing openings 12, 15 is carried out via the common water chamber 10 which is supplied with flushing water via the connecting opening 14. This is expediently carried out via a pressure increasing apparatus, in particular a pump, which conveys the flushing water at sufficiently high pressure into the water chamber 10. In principle, however, purely gravity-fed flushing might also be conceivable.

(19) Since the second flushing opening 15 is arranged in the axial extension and very closely adjacent to the connecting opening 14, when the flushing process starts, before the water chamber 10 is completely filled, the water flowing in is discharged via the second flushing opening 15, i.e. the rotational flushing starts, and in terms of chronology even slightly before the conventional flushing on the rear face via the first flushing openings 12.

(20) Also provided is a channel 20 which is configured in the body and which, see FIG. 5, is supplied with flushing water via a rear connecting opening 21, into which a connecting piece 22 which is made of metal or consists of plastics is introduced, and which discharges in the outflow 8 in an arcuate manner from the front face and communicates therewith via a corresponding opening 23. A so-called “jet” is formed thereby. The flushing water supplied via the channel 20 is introduced at sufficiently high pressure via the pressure increasing apparatus, in particular the pump, and flows directly into the outflow region, i.e. forces the water located therein, respectively the objects located therein, in the direction toward the rear outflow connecting piece 9 so that the discharge is actively assisted thereby and not only takes place via the flushing water flowing in from above.

(21) FIGS. 3 and 4 show two perspective views of the sanitary fixture 1 according to the invention, respectively the WC. FIG. 3 shows the second flushing opening 15 and the water guide portion 16 connected thereto with the projection 17 encompassing said water guide portion on the upper face, as well as the shoulder 19 on the lower face. Also shown is the water chamber 10 which is configured in the rear region.

(22) The perspective view according to FIG. 4 shows the opposing side with the water guide portion 16 guided further therein, in addition to the projection 17 and shoulder 19. It may be seen that the water guide portion 16 extends as far as and/or slightly below the water chamber 10. A second flushing opening is not provided there, i.e. flushing is carried out only from the opposing side.

(23) FIG. 5 shows a rear view of the WC. As described, firstly the connecting piece 22 with the connecting opening 21, which leads to the channel 20 for the jet flushing, is shown here. Secondly, a connecting piece 24 which is sealingly bonded into the connecting opening 14 and via which the flushing water is guided into the water chamber 10 is shown.

(24) Moreover, an elbow pipe 25 is connected to the outflow connecting piece 9, said elbow pipe leading to an outflow connector 37 on the lower face which is connected to the waste water pipe on the building side. This elbow pipe 25 is preferably a plastics pipe.

(25) As described, in the present case a pressure increasing apparatus, preferably in the form of a pump, is used, said pressure increasing apparatus being part of a flushing water supply apparatus 26, shown in FIG. 6 as a schematic view. This flushing water supply apparatus comprises, on the one hand, a tank 27 which is filled via a water connector on the building side via a valve, which is switched as a function of the filling state. Also provided is a pump 28 which is coupled via a connecting pipe 29 to the tank 27. Coupled to the pump 28 is a valve apparatus 30 to which a first flushing water supply pipe 31 is connected, said first flushing water supply pipe being connected to the connecting piece 24 for filling the water chamber 10. A further flushing water supply pipe 32, which is connected to the connecting piece 22 for the jet flushing, is provided.

(26) Also provided is a control apparatus 33 which, on the one hand, controls the operation of the pump 28 and, on the other hand, the valve apparatus 30, so that a lateral flow of the various types of flushing may be controlled in a defined manner.

(27) The flushing water supply apparatus 26 is inserted from the rear face into the body 2 and may be fastened thereto at corresponding fastening portions 34. The tank 27, viewed on the basis of FIG. 5, passes to the left of the elbow pipe 25 of the assembly, and the other components are accordingly distributed in the remaining space of the body 2.

(28) Thus, for example, when flushing is to be carried out after using the WC, the flushing is controlled such that initially the water chamber 10 is supplied with flushing water and the flushing water is flushed via the flushing openings 12 and 15 into the pan region. During this process or after the end of the process, the jet flushing is then switched on at a specific time, i.e. the water is supplied for a specific time to the channel 20 in order to force the water into the outflow 8 and to flush out this outflow. After this jet flushing is finished, for example, a further flushing of the pan region may be carried out via the flushing openings 12, 15.

(29) Both regarding the chronological sequence and the duration and also the quantity of the respectively supplied flushing water, a sufficient freedom exists regarding the actual design of the control system.

(30) The combination according to the invention of conventional flushing in the rear region via the flushing openings 12 with the rotational flushing via the flushing opening 15 and the additional jet flushing, permits an optimal flushing result. Firstly, the flushing water is supplied via the first flushing openings 12 with a direct vertical flow component so that objects located in the region of the outflow are reliably submerged thereby and forced downwardly. By the rotational flushing via the second flushing opening 15, an effective flushing of the lateral and front pan regions is achieved so that via both types of flushing the entire pan region is very effectively flushed out, but at the same time the vertical flow component required for the submerging is also provided. Via the jet flushing, the actual flushing out process, which has already been initiated by the flushing water flowing in via the flushing openings 12 and 15, is actively assisted further.

(31) As the flushing water is supplied via a pump 28, the flushing out of the pan region 3 is also achieved at a sufficiently high water pressure that both the vertical flow and the rotational flow are sufficiently strong.

(32) FIG. 7 shows a further embodiment of a sanitary fixture 1 according to the invention in the form of a WC, once again comprising a body 2 and a pan region 3. The basic construction of the WC corresponds to that of FIG. 1 which is why reference is made to the embodiments relevant thereto.

(33) A water chamber 10, which protrudes into the pan region 3 and on which a plurality of separate first flushing openings 12 are provided on the lower face, is also provided here. This water chamber 10, however, is supplied with flushing water via a separate connecting opening 35, in turn supplied via a pump 28, for example. A separate flushing water supply pipe passes from the pump 28 to this connecting opening 35. In other words, the conventional flushing via the downwardly oriented first flushing openings 12 may be separately controlled.

(34) The second flushing opening 15 is not supplied with flushing water via the water chamber 10. The connecting opening 14 is provided in a region separate therefrom, and a separate flushing water supply pipe is fastened to this connecting opening 14 in order to supply the required water for the rotational flushing. In other words, the rotational flushing may also be separately controlled.

(35) The flushing water supply apparatus 26 disclosed in FIG. 6 is accordingly complemented by an additional flushing water supply pipe, and the valve apparatus 30 may be designed accordingly. This additional flushing water supply pipe is connected to the connecting opening 35 in order to supply the water chamber 10.

(36) The control apparatus 33 in this case is able to control separately and individually the three separate flushing variants, namely in the conventional manner solely via the water chamber 10, rotational flushing via the second flushing opening 15 and jet flushing via the channel 20, the valve apparatus 30 being correspondingly activated therefor. This permits any operation in a clocked manner and also a correspondingly controlled supply of a quantity of flushing water for the individual flushing variants.

(37) The respective sanitary fixture 1, whichever embodiment, and the respective flushing water supply apparatus 26, whichever embodiment, which is correspondingly designed, together form a sanitary assembly.

(38) FIG. 8 shows a water guide pipe 37 for insertion into the water chamber 10 in the region of the connecting opening 14 and the second flushing opening 15. Said water guide pipe serves, in particular in the case of greater pump pressure and uncontrolled inflow to the opening 15, to prevent the formation of spray when water flows out of the opening 15. The water guide pipe 37, shown in cross section in FIG. 9 and preferably consisting of plastics, is inserted through the connecting opening 14 and introduced into the flushing opening 15 with a hollow pipe connector 38 on the end side which is arranged eccentrically. The pipe connector 38 is configured on a first pipe portion 39.

(39) A second resilient pipe portion 40 is adjoined to the first pipe portion 39 and permits a compensation of the offset when the connecting opening 14 and the flushing opening 15 are not aligned with one another and/or a significant lateral offset is present. Ideally both openings are aligned with one another.

(40) A third pipe portion 41 adjoins this central second pipe portion 40, a fluted portion 42 being provided at the end thereof for connecting a flushing water supply pipe 31. A threaded portion 43 adjoins this fluted portion 42, after introducing the water guide pipe 37 a retainer nut for fixing the water guide pipe 37 being screwed thereon. At least one lateral and/or radial opening 44 is provided on the third pipe portion 40, the position and/or size thereof being adjustable via an adjusting ring 45 rotatably arranged on the pipe outer face. It is also possible to adjust thereby the speed at which the water chamber 10 is filled.

(41) If water is introduced into the water guide pipe 37 via the pump 28, this water flows to the pipe connector 38 and out at that point, so that it passes via the flushing opening 15 into the pan. Since the water flows in a manner which is directed and with little turbulence, spray may be avoided, in particular in the case of greater pump pressure. At the same time, the water also flows out from the opening 44, whereby the water chamber 10 is flooded. As the water is relatively directly guided from the connecting opening via the water guide pipe 37 to the second flushing opening, due to the effectively aligned arrangement of the connecting opening and the second flushing opening, it exits at that point at sufficiently high pressure at a very early stage at the start of the flushing process, whilst the water chamber is still filling up and the water flows out via the first flushing openings with a slight time delay.

(42) The water guide pipe shown may be used in a WC according to FIG. 1, where the flushing opening 15 and the water chamber 10 are controlled via the common inflow via the connecting opening 14. In an embodiment according to FIG. 7, such a water guide pipe may also be used but this does not require an opening 44 or an adjusting ring 45 since the water chamber 10 is flooded via a separate connection.

(43) While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the inventive principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.