Enclosures for automatic bathroom flushers

• US 7,188,822 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2004
• Issued: 03/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Arichell Technologies Inc. (Sloan Valve Company), Sloan Valve Company
• Original Assignee: Arichell Technologies Inc. (Sloan Valve Company), Sloan Valve Company
• Inventors: Parsons, Natan E., Herbert, Kay, Guler, Fatih, Marcichow, Martin E.
• Primary Examiner(s): YU, JUSTINE ROMANG
• Application Number:
  US10/783,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20040227117A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• Field of Search: 251 3001- 3005, 251/45, 251/129.03, 251/129.04, 251/28, 430/2, 430/4, 430/5, 431/3, 440/6
• US Class Current: 251/30.01
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 3/02 Self-closing flushing valves self-closing valves in general F16K21/04
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 3/06 with diaphragm valve and pressure chamber for retarding the valve-closing movement
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 5/105 touchless, e.g. using sensors

Abstract

A bathroom flusher includes a flusher body, a valve assembly, an electronic control system, and a flusher cover. The flusher body includes an inlet and an outlet, and is designed to accommodate the valve assembly that controls water flow between the inlet and the outlet. The valve assembly includes a valve member movable with respect to a valve seat providing a sealing action based on applied pressure on the valve assembly. The bathroom flusher also includes an external cover designed for enclosing an electronic control module comprising a battery, a sensor, and an actuator for controlling operation of the flush valve, wherein the external cover includes at least two cover parts separately removable, and wherein the external cover is attachable with respect to the valve body in a manner also allowing removable attachment of the control module.

Claims

1. An automatic toilet room flush valve, comprising:

a valve body including an inlet and an outlet and a valve seat inside said body;

a valve member cooperatively arranged with said valve seat, said valve member being constructed and arranged to control water flow between said inlet and said outlet, movement of said valve member between open and closed positions being controlled by water pressure inside a pilot chamber in communication with a relief passage designed to be opened or closed by an actuator thereby controlling said water pressure;

an external cover defining a cavity designed for enclosing a battery, a sensor and said actuator for controlling operation of said flush valve; and

a vent passage for venting water from inside to outside of said cavity defined by said external cover.

2. The flush valve of claim 1 wherein said cover includes a main body part and another removable part.

3. The flush valve of claim 2 wherein said main cover body provides overall rigidity to said external cover.

4. The flush valve of claim 1 wherein said cover includes an optical window, and said sensor is an optical sensor geometrically aligned with said optical window.

5. The flush valve of claim 1 wherein said cover includes a main retaining member and a removable member constructed and arranged to be removed without affecting water pressure in said pilot chamber.

6. The flush valve of claim 5 further constructed to adjust detection sensitivity of said sensor while maintaining said optical window located on said main cover body.

7. The flush valve of claim 5 wherein said removable member is attached with respect to said main retaining member using at least one screw.

8. The flush valve of claim 7 wherein said at least one screw attaches with respect to a pilot cap defining said pilot chamber and being attached to said valve body.

9. The flush valve of claim 1 wherein said cover includes a button constructed to move between upper and lower positions and designed for manually triggering a flush cycle when pushed to said lower position.

10. The flush valve of claim 1 wherein said valve member includes a piston.

11. The flush valve of claim 1 wherein said valve member includes a flexible diaphragm.

12. The flush valve of claim 11 wherein said flexible diaphragm includes a centrally located passage connecting said relief passage and said outlet, said flexible diaphragm being retained with respect to said valve body by a pressure cap defining said pilot chamber.

13. An automatic toilet room flush valve, comprising:

a valve body including an inlet and an outlet and a valve seat inside said body;

a valve member cooperatively arranged with said valve seat, said valve member being constructed and arranged to control water flow between said inlet and said outlet, movement of said valve member between open and closed positions being controlled by water pressure inside a pilot chamber in communication with a relief passage designed to be opened or closed by an actuator thereby controlling said water pressure;

an external cover defining a cavity designed for enclosing a battery, a sensor and said actuator for controlling operation of said flush valve, said external cover including a main cover body, a front cover and a top cover; and

a vent passage for venting water from inside to outside of said cavity, said vent passage being defined by said external cover in a manner substantially preventing water from flowing into said cavity.

14. The flush valve of claim 13 wherein said vent passage includes a downward oriented lip defined by said external cover.

15. The flush valve of claim 13 or 14 wherein said main cover body provides overall rigidity to said external cover.

16. The flush valve of claim 13 or 14 wherein said top cover is removable while maintaining said front cover including a sensor window located in place with respect to said main cover body.

17. The flush valve of claim 16 wherein said sensor is an optical sensor and said sensor window includes an optical window.

18. The flush valve of claim 17 further constructed to adjust detection sensitivity of said sensor while maintaining said optical window located on said main cover body.

19. The flush valve of claim 13 or 14 wherein said top cover includes at least one side surface designed for facilitating removal of said top cover.

20. The flush valve of claim 13 or 14 wherein said top cover is attached with respect to said valve body using at least one screw.

21. The flush valve of claim 20 wherein tightening of said at least one screw attaches said main cover body, said front cover, and said top cover to a pilot cap defining said pilot chamber and being attached to said valve body.

22. The flush valve of claim 13 or 14 wherein said top cover includes a button constructed to move between upper and lower positions and designed for manually triggering a flush cycle when pushed to said lower position.

23. The flush valve of claim 13 or 14 wherein said valve member includes a piston.

24. The flush valve of claim 13 or 14 wherein said valve member includes a flexible diaphragm.

25. The flush valve of claim 24 wherein said flexible diaphragm includes a centrally located passage connecting said relief passage and said outlet, said flexible diaphragm being retained with respect to said valve body by a pressure cap defining said pilot chamber.