JP7551054B2 - Flush toilet equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a flush toilet device, and in particular to a flush toilet device that uses a jet pump action to supply flush water to the toilet body to flush it.

Conventionally, flush toilet devices have been known that use a jet pump unit to continuously supply a large flow rate of flush water to the toilet body, as described in, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2.

In such conventional flush toilet devices, a water supply valve is provided in a water supply passage that is directly connected to a water supply source such as a water pipe, and this water supply valve has a float that moves up and down depending on the water level in the water tank. The water supply to the jet nozzle is stopped by opening and closing the water supply valve depending on the movement of this float. This jet nozzle can continuously supply a large flow rate of flush water to the toilet body by inducing a jet pump action to discharge flush water and drawing water from the water tank into the throat pipe.

In addition, in the conventional flush toilet devices described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, an air inlet pipe is provided that introduces air into the throat pipe when the water level in the water tank drops to a specified water level. When air is introduced through this air inlet pipe, the jet pump action is weakened, making it difficult for the water in the water tank to be drawn into the throat pipe. In other words, the rate at which the water level in the water tank drops slows. This extends the period during which the water supply valve is open, increasing the amount of flush water supplied from the jet nozzle. Therefore, even in a flush toilet equipped with a small water tank that can store only a small amount of flush water, it is possible to ensure a sufficient amount of flush water for the toilet body.

Furthermore, in these conventional flush toilet devices, the amount of air introduced is adjusted by changing the cross-sectional area of the flow path of the air introduction pipe that introduces air into the throat pipe (i.e., the larger the cross-sectional area of the flow path, the greater the amount of air introduced and the greater the amount of flush water supplied from the jet nozzle), ensuring the necessary amount of flush water.

JP 2015-36485 A JP 2015-203287 A

Even in the flush toilet devices described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, if the piping is short and waste can be transported with a small amount of flush water (for example, about 4.8 liters or 6 liters), it is possible to ensure a sufficient amount of flush water for the toilet body while miniaturizing the water storage tank. However, in sites with long piping where a large amount of flush water (for example, about 8 liters) is required to transport waste, the amount of introduced air depends on the flow rate of the flush water ejected from the jet nozzle, so even if the cross-sectional area of the air introduction pipe is increased, there is a limit to how much it can be achieved. As a result, a small-sized water storage tank cannot ensure a sufficient amount of flush water, and the water storage tank must be enlarged.

The present invention has been made to solve the problems of the conventional technology described above, and aims to provide a flush toilet that can ensure a sufficient amount of flush water for the toilet body using a compact water storage tank, even in locations where a large amount of flush water is required.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a flush toilet device that flushes by supplying flushing water to a toilet body using a jet pump action, the device comprising: a toilet body having a bowl portion for receiving waste and a water conduit for guiding flushing water to the bowl portion; a water storage tank for storing flushing water to be supplied to the toilet body; and a jet pump unit arranged with at least a portion of it submerged in the water storage tank and supplying the flushing water in the water storage tank to the toilet body, the jet pump unit having a throat pipe with a riser extending upward from a suction port formed below it, a jet nozzle that sprays flushing water toward the suction port of the throat pipe to induce the jet pump action, and a water supply valve that starts and stops the supply of flushing water from a water supply source to the jet nozzle, the throat pipe's riser pipe is provided with an air introduction portion which discharges air in the water storage tank from its air outlet into the riser pipe at a predetermined water level, and further, flow velocity acceleration means for accelerating the flow velocity of the flushing water is formed near the air outlet of the air introduction portion.
In the present invention thus constructed, the riser pipe of the throat pipe is provided with an air introduction section that discharges air from the water tank into the riser pipe from its air outlet at a specified water level, and flow velocity accelerating means for accelerating the flow velocity of flush water is formed near the air outlet of this air introduction section, so that the flow velocity around the air outlet of the air introduction section can be increased, and the negative pressure generated thereby can be increased. As a result, according to the present invention, the amount of air introduced into the riser pipe by the air introduction section is increased, and accordingly, flushing can be achieved for a longer period of time. Furthermore, the flow velocity and amount of flush water necessary for transporting waste in the toilet body can be continuously supplied even in the latter half of the flushing period, so that waste transportability can be improved.

In the present invention, the flow velocity accelerating means is preferably configured to increase the flow velocity of the wash water flowing from the center of the throat pipe to the side opposite the air discharge port of the air introduction section.
In the present invention thus configured, the flow velocity accelerating means is configured to increase the flow velocity of the wash water flowing from the center of the throat pipe on the side opposite the air outlet of the air inlet, so that it is possible to prevent the wash water accelerated by the flow velocity accelerating means from colliding with the air introduced into the riser by the air inlet. As a result, according to the present invention, the increased suction force caused by the increased flow velocity of the wash water can be effectively utilized to increase the amount of introduced air.

In the present invention, the fluid acceleration means is preferably an inner protrusion that protrudes into the throat pipe to reduce the inner diameter of the throat pipe.
In the present invention thus configured, the fluid acceleration means is an intra-pipe protrusion that protrudes into the throat pipe to reduce the inside diameter of the throat pipe, so that the flow rate of flush water flowing near this intra-pipe protrusion can be increased. As a result, according to the present invention, the flow rate in the upstream area near the intra-pipe protrusion hardly changes, so that the amount of air suction can be increased without affecting the amount of flush water entrained in the water storage tank.

In the present invention, the in-pipe protrusion preferably has a wall surface formed upstream of the air discharge port of the air introduction portion of the throat pipe.
In the present invention thus configured, the inner pipe protruding portion has a wall surface formed upstream of the air discharge port of the air inlet of the throat pipe, and the wall surface of this inner pipe protruding portion can suppress collision between the flow of air introduced into the riser pipe and the flow of wash water. As a result, according to the present invention, the suction force (negative pressure) increased by the increase in the flow rate of the wash water can be effectively used.

In the present invention, preferably, an inclined surface is formed on the inner diameter side end of the wall surface so that the inner diameter of the throat pipe decreases from the suction port toward the air discharge port of the air introduction section.
In the present invention thus constructed, an inclined surface is formed on the inner diameter end of the wall surface so that the inner diameter of the throat pipe narrows from the suction port toward the air outlet of the air inlet, and the wash water flows along this inclined surface. As a result, according to the present invention, a maximum flow velocity portion can be created near the air outlet of the air inlet, and air can be efficiently introduced into the throat pipe from the air inlet.

In the present invention, preferably, an air introduction section is formed inside the space defined by the wall surface.
In the present invention configured in this manner, an air inlet section is formed inside the space formed by the wall surface, so that the suction force (negative pressure) generated by the flow of cleaning water accelerated in the narrowing section can be effectively used before the suction force decreases.

The flush toilet device of the present invention ensures a sufficient amount of flush water for the toilet body, even in locations where a large amount of flush water is required, thanks to the compact water storage tank.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a flush toilet apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of a flush water tank apparatus, illustrating the jet pump action of the jet pump unit used in a flush toilet apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of a flush water tank apparatus for a flush toilet apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention, and a cross-section of a flow path within a jet pump unit. FIG. 2 is a parts exploded view showing the throat pipe of the jet pump unit of a flush toilet apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention and the parts of the air introduction device attached to this throat pipe. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the spacer taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 5. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a jet pump unit showing the attachment position of an air introduction device when the jet pump unit of a flush toilet apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention supplies 8.0 liters of flush water. FIG. 8 is a side cross-sectional view of FIG. 7 . FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a jet pump unit showing the attachment position of an air introduction device when the jet pump unit of a flush toilet apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention supplies flush water at 4.6 liters/minute and 6.0 liters/minute. FIG. 10 is a side cross-sectional view of FIG. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the throat pipe showing the state of flush water flow within the throat pipe when a jet pump unit of a flush toilet apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention supplies 8.0 liters of flush water. A cross-sectional view of the throat pipe showing the flow of flush water inside the throat pipe when the jet pump unit of a flush toilet apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention supplies flush water at 4.8 liters/minute and 6.0 liters/minute. 1 is a graph showing the relationship between time and the instantaneous flow rate of flush water supplied to the toilet body by the jet pump unit of a flush toilet apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a jet pump unit of a flush toilet apparatus according to a modified embodiment of the present invention.

A flush toilet apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
First, the basic structure of a flush toilet apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 is a plan view showing a flush toilet apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in Figure 1.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a flush toilet apparatus 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a toilet body 2 and a flush water tank apparatus 4 which supplies flush water to this toilet body 2.
The toilet body 2 comprises a bowl portion 6 provided on its front side, a rim portion 8 formed on the upper edge of the bowl portion 6, and a shelf portion 10 formed on the inner periphery of the rim portion 8.
Furthermore, an inlet 12a of a trap drainage channel 12 opens at the bottom of the bowl portion 6 of the toilet body 2, and this trap drainage channel 12 is equipped with a trap ascent pipe 12b extending upward and a trap downcomer pipe 12c extending downward. As can be seen from the shape of this trap drainage channel 12, the flush toilet device 1 according to this embodiment is a wash-down toilet that discharges waste by a vertical drop.
Incidentally, the present invention can be applied to other flush toilets, such as siphon toilets, in addition to the wash-down toilets described above.

Next, the toilet body 2 is equipped with a water conduit 16 into which flushing water discharged from the drain outlet 14 of the flushing water tank device 4 flows, a first rim spout 18 formed in the center of the left side when viewed from the front of the shelf portion 10, and a second rim spout 20 formed in the rear right side when viewed from the front.
In addition, the water conduit 16 branches downstream into a first water conduit 22 and a second water conduit 24, and the flushing water in the water conduit 16 reaches the first rim water outlet 18 via the first water conduit 22, while reaching the second rim water outlet 20 via the second water conduit 24. The flushing water is discharged from the first rim water outlet 18 and the second rim water outlet 20, respectively, to wash the bowl portion 6 and discharge waste from the trap drain 12.

Next, the flush water tank device 4 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of a flush water tank apparatus to explain the jet pump action of a jet pump unit used in a flush toilet apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of a flush water tank apparatus in a flush toilet apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention and a cross-section of the flow path within the jet pump unit.
It should be noted that while FIG. 4 corresponds to the internal structure of a flush toilet according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is intended to explain the jet pump action of the jet pump unit, and shows a structure that differs in part from the internal structure in FIG.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the flush water tank device 4 comprises a water storage tank 26 which is formed in a flat shape that is long in the left-right direction when viewed in a plane and which stores flush water, and a primary water supply pipe 28 which supplies flush water supplied from a water source such as a water pipe (not shown) to the water storage tank 26.
The flush water tank device 4 also includes a jet pump unit 32 including a water supply valve device 30 that is connected to the upper end (downstream end) of the water supply pipe 28 and controls the supply of flush water from the water supply pipe 28, and a manual lever 34 (see Figure 3) that the user can manually operate to supply flush water.
Furthermore, a stop valve 35 (see FIG. 3) is provided at the lower end (upstream end) of the water supply pipe 28. This stop valve 35 is used to stop the water supply from a water supply source (not shown) when installing the flush toilet device 1, etc., and is kept in the open state during normal use.

The jet pump unit 32 also includes a secondary water supply pipe 36 through which water supplied from the water supply valve device 30 flows, a throat pipe 38 located downstream of the water supply pipe 36, a jet nozzle 40 connected to the downstream end of the water supply pipe 36 and spraying cleaning water toward the throat pipe 38 to induce a jet pump action, and a flow path switching valve device 42 that switches the flow path direction of the cleaning water sprayed from the jet nozzle 40 from a flow path that is directed toward the inside of the throat pipe 38 to a flow path that is directed toward the outside of the throat pipe 38.

Between the primary water supply pipe 28 and the water supply valve device 30, a constant flow rate valve 43 (see FIG. 3) is provided to keep the flow rate of flush water supplied to the water supply valve device 30 constant.
In addition, a vacuum breaker valve 44 (see Figure 3) is provided between the secondary water supply pipe 36 and the water supply valve device 30. This vacuum breaker valve 44 is intended to prevent negative pressure from occurring within the flow path of the water supply pipe 36 up to the jet nozzle 40 by drawing in air from the outside.

As shown in FIG. 3, the water supply valve device 30 comprises a main valve body 48 which is a pilot-type diaphragm valve, a main toilet seat 50 on which the main valve body 48 sits, and a pressure chamber 52 which causes the main valve body 48 to move relative to the main toilet seat 50 by internal pressure, and is configured to switch between a water-stopping state in which the main valve body 48 sits on the main toilet seat 50 to stop water flow, and a water-supplying state in which the main valve body 48 is separated from the main toilet seat 50 to supply water.
As shown in Figure 3, the pressure chamber 52 is provided with a first hole 54 and a second hole 56 for releasing the pressure in the pressure chamber 52, a first pilot valve 58 for opening the first hole 54 in conjunction with the user's manual operation of the manual lever 34 described above, a water supply float 60 that moves up and down in accordance with the level of cleaning water in the water storage tank 26, and a second pilot valve 62 for opening and closing the second hole 56 by the up and down movement of the water supply float 60.

As shown in FIG. 3, the main valve body 48 is provided with a bleed hole (not shown), and when water is stopped, the bleed hole communicates between the primary flow path A of the water supply pipe 28 and the inside of the pressure chamber 52. Here, the first hole 54 is formed so that its opening area is larger than the opening area of the second hole 56. Also, the first hole 54 is formed at a higher position than the second hole 56.

When the water supply valve device 30 is in a water-stopped state, the first hole 54 and the second hole 56 are both blocked, and the primary side flow path A of the water supply pipe 28 is connected to the pressure chamber 52 through the bleed hole, so the water pressure in the primary side flow path A and the pressure chamber 52 is the same water pressure (primary side flow path pressure α). In addition, the secondary side flow path B is open to the atmosphere, and the area on which the water pressure acts on the main valve body 48 is larger than the area of the primary side flow path A, so the main valve body 48 is pressed against the main toilet seat 50 and closed.

In the water supply valve device 30, when the first hole 54 and/or the second hole 56 are opened by the first pilot valve 58 and/or the second pilot valve 62, flush water flows out of the pressure chamber 52, the pressure in the pressure chamber 52 drops, the main valve body 48 moves away from the main toilet seat 50, the valve opens, and the water is discharged.

In the water supply valve device 30, when the first hole 54 and the second hole 56 are closed by the first pilot valve 58 and the second pilot valve 62, the pressure in the pressure chamber 52 again becomes the primary side flow path pressure α, the main valve body 48 moves toward the main toilet seat 50, and finally the valve is closed (water stop state).
At this time, the cleaning water in the primary flow path A is injected little by little into the pressure chamber 52 through the bleed hole, so that the main valve body 48 is closed (water-stopped state) a predetermined time after the first hole 54 and the second hole 56 are blocked.

Next, the throat pipe 38 of the jet pump unit 32 is provided with an ascending pipe 38a extending diagonally upward from below, and a descending pipe 38b extending downward from near the upper end of the ascending pipe 38a, and is formed generally in an inverted V shape.
An air introduction device 80, the details of which will be described later, is connected to the riser pipe 38a of the throat pipe 38. The air introduction device 80 introduces air from within the water storage tank 26 into the riser pipe 38a.

An intake port 38 c is formed at the upstream end (inlet portion) of the riser pipe 38 a of the throat pipe 38 , and this intake port 38 c is located at the lower portion within the water storage tank 26 .
Further, an outlet 38 d (see FIG. 4 ) of the downcomer pipe 38 b of the throat pipe 38 is connected to the drain port 14 which communicates with the water passage 16 of the toilet body 2 .
Furthermore, a jet nozzle 40 is disposed opposite the suction port 38c of the throat pipe 38, and the suction port 38c of the throat pipe 38 and the jet nozzle 40 are always submerged in the water storage tank 26.

Next, the flow path switching valve device 42 of the jet pump unit 32 includes a flow path switching valve 66 that switches the flow path direction of the flush water sprayed from the jet nozzle 40 from a flow path that is directed toward the inside of the throat pipe 38 to a flow path that is directed toward the outside of the throat pipe 38 (inside the water storage tank 26) when supplying water into the water storage tank 26 after flushing the toilet, a float 68 that operates the flow path switching valve 66 by moving up and down according to the water level of the flush water stored in the water storage tank 26, a connecting part 70 that connects the float 68 and the flow path switching valve 66, and an adjustment mechanism part 72 that adjusts the height at which the float 68 is connected to the connecting part 70 in the vertical direction.

As shown in FIG. 4 , a main flow passage 74 that connects the water supply valve device 30 and the jet nozzle 40 is formed inside the water supply pipe 36 on the secondary side of the jet pump unit 32 .
Furthermore, in the water supply pipe 36 on the secondary side of the jet pump unit 32, a branch pipe 76 is connected to the downstream side of the relief valve device 46, which forms a branch path for makeup water that supplies flush water to the toilet body 2 without passing through the jet nozzle 40. The downstream end of this branch pipe 76 is connected to an overflow pipe 78 that is provided adjacent to the downcomer pipe 38b of the throat pipe 38 and extends in the vertical direction. The downstream side of this overflow pipe 78 is connected to the water conduit 16 of the toilet body 2.

The jet pump unit 32 sprays high-speed flushing water from the jet nozzle 40 toward the suction port 38c of the throat pipe 38, generating negative pressure in the space near the suction port 38c in the throat pipe 38 close to the jet nozzle 40, inducing a jet pump action (ejector effect). This jet pump action draws in flushing water nearby in the water storage tank 26, and this flushing water and the flushing water sprayed from the jet nozzle 40 mix together, flow through the throat pipe 38, and are supplied to the water conduit 16 of the toilet body 2.
In other words, the term "jet pump action" used in this specification means that the large flow of flushing water sprayed from the jet nozzle 40 toward the suction port 38c of the throat pipe 38 creates a negative pressure that directly draws in the surrounding flushing water, such as near the suction port 38c of the throat pipe 38, without relying on other mechanical elements such as a pump, and uses this negative pressure to pressure-feed the flushing water in the water storage tank 26 that has been sucked into the throat pipe 38 toward the toilet body 2.

Next, as shown in FIG. 4, the water level WL1 in the water tank 26 indicates the water level before cleaning begins, and the water level WL2 indicates the water level when cleaning ends.

Next, the air introduction device 80 will be described with reference to Figures 5 to 10. Figure 5 is an exploded view of the throat pipe of a jet pump unit of a flush toilet device according to one embodiment of the present invention and the parts of the air introduction device attached to this throat pipe, Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of a spacer taken along line VI-VI in Figure 5, Figure 7 is a perspective view of a jet pump unit showing the attachment position of an air introduction device when a jet pump unit of a flush toilet device according to one embodiment of the present invention supplies flush water at 8.0 liters per minute, and Figure 8 is a side cross-sectional view of Figure 7. Figure 9 is a perspective view of a jet pump unit showing the attachment position of an air introduction device when a jet pump unit of a flush toilet device according to one embodiment of the present invention supplies flush water at 4.8 liters per minute and 6.0 liters per minute, and Figure 10 is a side cross-sectional view of Figure 9,

First, as shown in FIG. 5, a mounting member 82 for mounting an air introduction device 80 is provided on the upper surface of the riser pipe 38a of the throat pipe 38. The mounting member 82 and the riser pipe 38a are provided with an air intake port 84 that penetrates the mounting member 82 and the riser pipe 38a, and the air intake port 84 allows air in the water tank 26 to be introduced into the throat pipe 38.

The air introduction device 80 includes a base member 86 having a first air introduction section 88 and a second air introduction section 90 formed therein.
Here, the base member 86 of the air introduction device 80 moves vertically along the mounting member 82, i.e., along the upper surface of the riser pipe 38a, and is fixed at two positions, an upper first position (see Figure 8) and a lower second position (see Figure 10).
When the air introduction device 80 is located in the first position, the first air introduction section 88 causes the jet pump unit 32 to supply 8.0 liters/minute of cleaning water, and when the air introduction device 80 is located in the second position, the second air introduction section 90 causes the jet pump unit 32 to supply 4.8 liters/minute or 6.0 liters/minute of cleaning water.

When the base member 86 of the air introduction device 80 is fixed in the upper first position, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, the first air introduction part 88 introduces air in the water tank 26 into the riser pipe 38a of the throat pipe 38.
On the other hand, when the base member 86 of the air introduction device 80 is fixed at the second lower position, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, the second air introduction part 90 introduces air from the water tank 26 into the riser pipe 38a of the throat pipe 38.

The first air introduction section 88 will be described in detail with reference to Figures 5 to 8. The first air introduction section 88 is formed by two mounting plate members 92 formed on the upper surface of the lower side of the base member 86 (upstream side of the riser pipe 38a) so as to communicate with the above-mentioned intake port 84, and a spacer 94 inserted between these mounting plate members 92 and inserted into the riser pipe 38a through the intake port 84. An engagement opening 92a is formed in each of the two mounting plate members 92 (see Figure 5).

The spacer 94 includes two plate members 94a, a connecting plate 94b connecting the two plate members 94a at approximately the middle position in the longitudinal direction, a bottom plate 94c connecting the inner diameter side ends and the upstream side of the two plate members 94b, and a first engaging projection 94d (used in the first position) formed on the upper side of the outer surface of the two plate members 94a and a second engaging projection 94e (used in the second position) formed at the middle position of the outer surface as shown in Figures 5 and 6. Furthermore, the inner diameter side downstream side of the two plate members 94a is an air discharge port 94f through which air is discharged into the riser pipe 38a as shown in Figure 8.
As shown in FIG. 8, the bottom plate 94c of the spacer 94 is formed as an inclined surface that slopes from the suction port 38c toward the air discharge port 94f.

The connection plate 94b is provided only on the upper side (downstream side) of the two plate members 94a in the width direction. Therefore, the upper side (downstream side) of the two plate members 94a is open except for the connection plate 94b, and the lower side (upstream side) of the two plate members 94a is open except for the bottom plate 94c, so that the air in the water tank 26 can be easily introduced from the second air introduction part 90 into the riser pipe 38a of the throat pipe 38, as described later. In this embodiment, the width direction (vertical direction) of the connection plate 94b is constant, but the water level at which intake starts and the intake amount can be adjusted by adjusting the length in the width direction. Therefore, depending on the required intake amount, the connection plate 94b may be omitted or the water level and the intake amount may be adjusted by replacing parts.
These two plate members 94 a , the connecting plate 94 b and the bottom plate 94 c form the walls of the spacer 94 .

When the base member 86 of the air induction device 80 shown in FIG. 8 is located in the upper first position, the spacer 94 is inserted into the mounting plate member 92 .
8, the first air introduction part 88 can introduce air from the water storage tank 26 into the riser pipe 38a of the throat pipe 38. WL3 indicates the water level at which the first air introduction part 88 starts to introduce the air from the water storage tank 26 into the riser pipe 38a through the spacer 94.

In this embodiment, the amount of insertion of the spacer 94 into the riser pipe 38a is constant, but the amount of insertion may be made variable to vary the amount of flush water supplied to the toilet body 2. In this case, when the amount of insertion of the spacer 94 is large, the amount of flush water also increases, while when the amount of insertion is small, the amount of flush water also decreases.

5, 6, 9 and 10, the second air introduction section 90 will be specifically described. The second air introduction section 90 has a cylindrical section 96 extending in the vertical direction and a lid body 98 that closes the upper end opening of the cylindrical section 96. An air introduction hole 100 is formed on the side of the cylindrical section 96. The lid body 98 has a knob section 98a for rotating the lid body 98, a cylindrical insertion section 98b that extends downward from the lid body 98 inside the cylindrical section 96, and a notch 98c formed in the insertion section 98b. By rotating the knob section 98a, the overlapping area between the notch 98c and the air introduction hole 100 can be changed to adjust the air suction flow rate. In this example, when the overlapping area is small, the air suction flow rate is small, so 4.8 liters of cleaning water is supplied, and when the overlapping area is large, the air suction flow rate is large, so 6.0 liters of cleaning water is supplied. Note that WL4 in FIG. 10 indicates the water level at which the second air introduction section 90 starts to introduce air from the water tank 26 into the riser pipe 38a.

In this embodiment, the amount of intake air is adjusted by changing the overlapping area between the air inlet hole 100 and the notch 98c, but multiple holes of different sizes may be provided instead of the notch 98c, and the air intake flow rate may be adjusted by aligning the air inlet hole 100 with these holes.

By moving the base member 86 vertically, the first air inlet section 88 and the second air inlet section 90 are switched, and air in the water tank 26 is introduced into the riser pipe 38a from either the first air inlet section 88 or the second air inlet section 90. Therefore, even when the same water tank 26 is used, various amounts of flush water can be supplied to the toilet body 2 according to the construction site.

As shown in Figures 9 and 10, when the second air introduction section 90 and the intake port 84 are in communication, the base member 86 is positioned downward (second position), and is maintained by the engagement between the base member 86 and the mounting member 82 and gravity, so that the base member 86 does not move due to the up and down movement of the water level. At this time, the second engagement protrusion 94e of the spacer 94 engages with the engagement opening 92a of the mounting plate member 92, so that the spacer 94 is attached to the base member 86 and the spacer 94 does not fall off the base member 86. Note that a locking means for fixing the base member 86 and the mounting member 82 in the downward position may be provided separately.

7 and 8, when a suction flow rate greater than that of the second air introduction section 90 is required, the base member 86 is slid upward. After the base member 86 of the air introduction device 80 is positioned at the upper first position, the second engagement protrusion 94e of the spacer 94 is released from the engagement opening 92a of the mounting plate member 92, and the spacer 94 is inserted into the mounting plate member 92. At this time, the first engagement protrusion 94d formed on the upper side of the plate member 94a is engaged with the engagement opening 92a, thereby restricting the movement of the spacer 94 and the base member 86. Therefore, the base member 86 is held in the first position without moving due to the up and down movement of the water level or gravity. When a large suction flow rate is no longer required, the spacer 94 is pulled out, the first engagement protrusion 94d of the spacer 94 is released from the engagement opening 92a of the mounting plate member 92, and the spacer 94 is slid downward, thereby switching between the first position and the second position. That is, the first air inlet 88 is provided below the base member 86, and the second air inlet 90 is provided above it, so the second position (which does not have a locking means with the intake port 84) that is held by gravity and fitting force is located at the bottom, and the first air inlet is provided so that it can be used in conjunction with a locking mechanism when it is located at the top, where it is likely to move due to gravity or changes in the water level.

The first air inlet 88 and the second air inlet 90 provided on the base member 86 are provided with the first air inlet 88 at the top and the second air inlet 90 at the bottom, but the second air inlet 90 may be provided at the top and the first air inlet 88 at the bottom.

Next, the operation (function) of the flush toilet apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention described above will be explained with reference to Figures 3 to 13. Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of the throat pipe showing the flow of flush water in the throat pipe when the jet pump unit of the flush toilet apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention supplies 8.0 liters of flush water, Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view of the throat pipe showing the flow of flush water in the throat pipe when the jet pump unit of the flush toilet apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention supplies flush water at 4.8 liters/minute and 6.0 liters/minute, and Figure 13 is a graph showing the relationship between time and the instantaneous flow rate of flush water supplied to the toilet body by the jet pump unit of the flush toilet apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. In Figure 13, A drawn with a two-dot chain line indicates the case where the instantaneous flow rate is 4.8 liters/minute, B drawn with a one-dot chain line indicates the case where the instantaneous flow rate is 6.0 liters/minute, and C drawn with a solid line indicates the case where the instantaneous flow rate is 8.0 liters/minute.

First, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, in the flush water tank device 4 before flushing begins, the water level in the water storage tank 26 is the normal water level WL1, and in the water supply valve device 30, the first hole 54 and the second hole 56 are both closed, and the main valve body 48 is seated on the main toilet seat 50, resulting in a water stop state.

When the user manually operates the manual lever 34 to start flushing, the drive shaft 64 connected to the manual lever 34 rotates, and the first pilot valve 58 of the water supply valve device 30 is activated, opening the first hole 54. At this time, the main valve body 48 of the water supply valve device 30 moves away from the main toilet seat 50, entering a water supply state in which water is supplied. As a result, flushing water supplied from an external water supply source passes through the stopcock 35, the constant flow valve 43, the water supply valve device 30, and the secondary water supply pipe 36 to reach the jet nozzle 40, and flushing water is sprayed from the jet nozzle 40 toward the suction port 38c of the throat pipe 38. At this time, the vicinity of the suction port 38c of the throat pipe 38 is under negative pressure, so that flush water stored in the water storage tank 26 is also sucked into the throat pipe 38, and the flush water supplied from the outside by the flush water tank device 4 and the flush water in the water storage tank 26 flow together through the throat pipe 38 and are supplied to the toilet body 2, starting flushing of the bowl section 6 (time t0 in FIG. 8). The start of flushing causes the water level in the water storage tank 26 to drop, and the water supply float 60 to drop. As soon as the water supply float 60 drops, the second pilot valve 62 is activated, which opens the second hole 56. At this time, the first hole 54 was open when the manual lever 34 was operated, but it is closed when the second hole 56 opens. The second hole 56 is held open until the water supply float 60 rises again.

Next, immediately after the supply of flush water from the water supply valve device 30 begins, the level of flush water stored in the water storage tank 26 is close to WL1, so the float 68 of the flow path switching valve device 42 is in a raised state, and the flow path switching valve 66 is in a lowered state, leaving the front side of the jet nozzle 40 open. As a result, a flow of flush water stored in the water storage tank 26 toward the jet nozzle 40 and the suction port 38c of the throat pipe 38 is formed, and a large flow rate of flush water is supplied to the toilet body 2 (time t1 in Figure 13).

When the water level in the water storage tank 26 drops to water level WL3 shown in FIG. 8 or water level WL4 shown in FIG. 10 over time after the supply of flushing water to the toilet body 2 begins, air is sucked into the throat pipe 38 through which the flushing water flows from the first air introduction section 88 or the second air introduction section 90 of the air introduction device 80 due to the negative pressure generated by the flow of water in the riser pipe 38a. This causes the flow rate (instantaneous flow rate) of flushing water supplied to the toilet body 2 through the throat pipe 38 to be suddenly reduced (see time t2 in FIG. 13).

This is because the air sucked into the riser pipe 38a of the throat pipe 38 from the first air inlet 88 or the second air inlet 90 reduces the area through which flush water flows in the riser pipe 38a, suppressing the flow rate of flush water. In this way, when the amount of air sent into the riser pipe 38a increases, the flow rate of flush water supplied to the toilet body 2 decreases. This reduces the amount of flush water used from the water storage tank 26 that is sucked into the throat pipe 38 by the jet nozzle 40.
In other words, the more air is sent into the riser pipe 38a, the slower the rate at which the water level in the water tank 26 drops, the longer the water supply time, and ultimately the more the amount of flushing water supplied from the water tank 2 to the toilet body 2 can be increased.

When the water level in the water storage tank 26 drops to WL2, the float 68 also drops to the position of water level WL2 in conjunction with the drop in the water level, and the flow path switching valve 66 rises. As a result, the flow path of the throat pipe 38 is blocked by the flow path switching valve 66, and the flush water sprayed from the jet nozzle 40 collides with the flow path switching valve 66 and is bounced back by the flow path switching valve 66 without flowing through the throat pipe 38. This stops the supply of flush water to the toilet body 2 (see times t3, t4, and t5 in Figure 13).

Then, the flow direction of the cleaning water sprayed from the jet nozzle 40 is switched by the flow path switching valve 66 to the outside of the throat pipe 38, and the water is stored in the water storage tank 26. Then, when the water level in the water storage tank 26 rises and reaches WL1, the water supply float 60 of the water supply valve device 30 also rises to the water level of WL1, and the second pilot valve 62 in the water supply valve device 30 is activated and the second hole 56 is closed. As a result, the pressure in the pressure chamber 52 becomes the primary side flow path pressure α, the main valve body 48 moves toward the main toilet seat 50, and finally the valve is closed (water stop state). The water supply valve device 30 enters the water stop state, the water supply ends, and the cleaning operation ends.

(New information)
Next, the operation (function) of the air introduction device 80 will be specifically described with reference to FIGS.
As shown in Fig. 11, when air in the water tank 26 is introduced into the riser pipe 38a by the first air introduction part 88, the spacer 94 protrudes into the riser pipe 38a, and thus a reduced diameter part 102 is formed in the area of the riser pipe 38a near the air outlet 94f of the spacer 94. This reduced diameter part 102 reduces the cross-sectional area of the area near the air outlet 94f of the spacer 94, thereby accelerating the flow rate of the flush water, and further increasing the flow rate of the flush water, thereby increasing the negative pressure in the area near the air outlet 94f. As a result, the amount of air introduced by the first air introduction part 88 (amount of intake air entrainment) is increased compared to when the spacer 94 is not provided and the diameter is not reduced, and accordingly, a longer flush can be achieved (see Fig. 13), and a supply of 8.0 liters of flush water to the toilet body 2 becomes possible.

Furthermore, as shown by solid line C in Figure 13, when air is introduced through the first air inlet 88, the flow rate and volume of flushing water required for transporting waste in the toilet body 2 can be continuously supplied during the latter half of the flushing period compared to when air is introduced through the second air inlet 90, thereby improving waste transportability.

As shown in FIG. 11, in this embodiment, the spacer 94 of the first air introduction section 88 is provided so as to protrude inward from the upper surface of the riser pipe 38a, so that the flow rate of the cleaning water flowing from the center of the riser pipe 38a through the area 38b opposite the air outlet 94f of the spacer 94 increases. The cleaning water accelerated in this reduced diameter section 102 is prevented from colliding with the air discharged from the air outlet 94f of the spacer 94. This makes it possible to effectively utilize the increased suction force caused by the increased flow rate of the cleaning water to increase the amount of air introduced.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the spacer 94 protrudes into the inside of the throat pipe 38, reducing the inner diameter of the throat pipe 38, so that the flow rate of the cleaning water flowing near the spacer 94 can be increased, and the flow rate in the upstream area near the spacer 94 hardly changes, so that the amount of air intake can be increased without affecting the amount of cleaning water drawn into the water tank 26.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the spacer 94 is inserted into the riser pipe 38a, the bottom plate 94c, which is a wall surface, is provided to connect the inner diameter side end and the upstream side of the two plate members 94b, so that this bottom plate 94c can prevent the air flow introduced into the riser pipe 38a from colliding with the cleaning water flow. As a result, according to this embodiment, the suction force (negative pressure) that is increased by the increased flow rate of the cleaning water can be effectively used.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the bottom plate 94c of the spacer 94 is formed to have an inclined surface that slopes from the suction port 38c toward the air outlet 94f, and the cleaning water flows along this inclined surface. As a result, according to this embodiment, the maximum flow velocity portion can be created near the air outlet 94f of the spacer 94, and air can be efficiently introduced into the riser pipe 38c by the first air introduction section 88.

In addition, in this embodiment, air is introduced by the spacer 94 that is discharged into the riser pipe 38a, so that the suction force (negative pressure) generated by the accelerated flow of cleaning water in the reduced diameter section 102 can be effectively used before the suction force decreases.

Next, as shown in FIG. 12, when air in the water tank 26 is introduced into the riser pipe 38a by the second air introduction section 90, the air in the water tank 26 is simply introduced from the air introduction port 100, so the flow rate in the area of the riser pipe 38a where the air is introduced is not accelerated. Therefore, the amount of introduced air (amount of intake air) is less than when air is introduced by the first air introduction section 88. As a result, the amount of flush water supplied to the toilet body 2 is 4.8 liters or 6.0 liters, which is less than 8.0 liters in the case of the first air introduction section 88.

Next, a modified example of the above-mentioned embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 14. Figure 14 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a jet pump unit of a flush toilet apparatus according to a modified example of the embodiment of the present invention.
A modified example of the first air introduction section 88 will be described with reference to Fig. 14. The first air introduction section 104 includes a spacer 106 provided to communicate with the intake port 84 of the riser pipe 38a of the throat pipe 38. The upstream and downstream lower ends of the spacer 106 are connected to the riser pipe 38a. The first air introduction section 104 further includes an in-pipe protruding member 108 protruding into the riser pipe 38a on the upstream side of the riser pipe 38a near where the spacer 106 is provided. An air discharge port 106a is provided at the position of the intake port 84 of the spacer 106, and air in the water tank 26 is introduced into the riser pipe 38a from the air discharge port 106a.

In this modified embodiment, the tube protruding member 108 also forms a reduced diameter section, which reduces the cross-sectional area of the riser tube 38a, accelerating the flow rate of the flushing water. Furthermore, the increased flow rate of the flushing water creates a negative pressure in the area near the air outlet 106a. This increases the amount of air (amount of intake air) introduced by the first air introduction section 104 compared to when the tube protruding member 108 is not provided and the diameter is not reduced, thereby achieving a longer flush time, and as in the embodiment, it is possible to supply 8.0 liters of flushing water to the toilet body 2. In addition, this modified embodiment can achieve the same effects as the above-mentioned embodiment. The reduced diameter section may be provided so that the cross-sectional area of the riser tube 38a is reduced overall. It may be provided all around or partially on the upstream side of the riser tube 38a near the spacer 106.

1 Flush toilet device 2 Toilet body 4 Flush water tank device 6 Bowl section 16 Water conduit 26 Water storage tank 30 Water supply valve device 32 Jet pump unit 38 Throat pipe 38a Rising pipe 38b Opposite side area 38c Suction port 40 Jet nozzle 80 Air introduction device 84 Suction port 86 Base member 88, 104 First air introduction section 90 Second air introduction section 94, 106 Spacer 94a Plate member 94b Connection plate 94c Bottom plate 94f, 106a Air discharge port 96 Cylindrical section 98 Lid 100 Air introduction hole 102 Reduced diameter section

Claims (5)

In a flush toilet device that uses a jet pump action to supply flush water to the toilet body for flushing,
a toilet body having a bowl portion for receiving waste and a water channel for directing flushing water to the bowl portion;
a water storage tank for storing flush water to be supplied to the toilet body;
a jet pump unit that is disposed at least partially submerged in the water storage tank and supplies flush water in the water storage tank to the toilet body;
The jet pump unit includes:
a throat pipe having an uprising pipe extending upward from a suction port formed below the throat pipe;
a jet nozzle for injecting cleaning water toward the suction port of the throat pipe to induce a jet pump action;
a water supply valve for supplying and stopping the supply of cleaning water from a water source to the jet nozzle,
A flush toilet apparatus in which an air inlet section is provided in the riser pipe of the throat pipe, which discharges air within the water tank from its air outlet into the riser pipe at a specified water level, and further, an intra-pipe protrusion section is formed near the air outlet of this air inlet section, which protrudes into the inside of the throat pipe and reduces the inner diameter of the throat pipe, thereby accelerating the flow rate of flush water. 2. The flush toilet apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the in-pipe protrusion is configured to increase the flow speed of flush water that flows from the center of the throat pipe to the side opposite the air discharge port of the air introduction section. The flush toilet apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inner pipe protrusion has a wall surface formed upstream of the air discharge port of the air introduction section of the throat pipe. The flush toilet apparatus according to claim 3, wherein an inclined surface is formed on the inner diameter end of the wall surface so that the inner diameter of the throat pipe decreases from the suction port toward the air discharge port of the air introduction section. The flush toilet apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the air introduction section is formed inside the space formed by the wall surface.

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