The aspects and embodiments thereof relate to the field of flush plates for toilet systems.

A typical flush toilet is a fixed, ceramic bowl which is connected to a drain. After use, the bowl is emptied and cleaned by a rapid flow of water into the bowl, known as a flush. This flush may flow from a dedicated tank, called a cistern. The flush toilet comprises a cistern discharge valve and a flush activation unit for operating the cistern discharge valve.

For aesthetic, hygienic, and/or practical reasons, a flush plate may be mounted in front of the flush activation unit. The flush plate comprises one or more buttons, which a user may press to activate the flush activation unit, causing the cistern discharge valve to be opened and the water to flush into the ceramic bowl.

In case of a concealed cistern, the flush plate may be mounted in front of an inspection panel. A typical flush plate comprises a back plate which is mounted to a wall, tiles, or a toilet frame. A front plate carries one or more buttons, and the front plate is mounted to the back plate.

It is an object to provide a flush plate, which is aesthetically pleasing, convenient to mount, convenient to operate, and/or hygienic, for example by being easy to clean.

A first aspect provides a flush plate assembly for a toilet assembly. The flush plate assembly comprises a back plate, and a front plate which is connected to the back plate. The front plate comprises an opening through the front plate. The flush plate assembly further comprises a flush button, wherein the flush button is moveably connected to the back plate, and the front plate is connected to the back plate such that the flush button is accessible via the opening of the front plate.

The flush plate assembly may in general comprise a single flush button, for example when the toilet assembly comprises a urinal. The flush plate assembly may also comprise multiple flush buttons, such as a two flush buttons, when the toilet assembly comprises a flush activation unit with multiple actuators - for example for a small volume of water to be flushed or a larger volume of water to be flushed.

By moveably connecting the flush button to the back plate, it may be prevented that any moveable components are directly connected to the front plate. This is turn may allow the flush plate assembly to be more convenient to mount, more convenient to operate, and/or more hygienic.

In general, the flush button being moveably connected to the back plate may imply that the flush button can be hinged, rotated, and/or translated relative to the back plate. When the front plate is connected to the back plate, the flush button may thus also be moveable relative to the front plate, without the flush button being directly connected to the front plate.

Thus, it will be understood that in general, two objects being moveably connected means that at least one degree of freedom of the two objects is coupled, and at least one degree of freedom between the two objects is allowed. A degree of freedom can for example be a rotation or a translation.

For example, a flush button may be slidably connected to the back plate, and as such at least a translation of the button relative to the back plate may be allowed. At least one other degree of freedom and preferably all other degrees of freedom of the flush button relative to the back plate may be restricted or fixed.

In particular, the flush button may be slidable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the back plate. The direction substantially perpendicular to the back plate may correspond to a normal vector of the back plate. In use, a user may thus push the flush button for example towards the toilet frame. In general, in use, the back plate may be oriented substantially vertically, such that the flush button is slidable in a substantially horizontal direction. In embodiments, the back plate may comprise a pocket arranged for accommodating at least part of the flush button in the pocket, with a pocket opening allowing access into the pocket. The pocket may extend away from the back plate, in particular away from the front plate. In use, the button may be at least partially positioned inside the pocket, and the pocket opening is in use aligned with the opening through the front plate. As such, the pocket opening may be accessible through the opening through the front plate.

A pocket may generally be formed by a side wall extending from the back plate at a proximal end, and an optional end plate at a distal end of the side wall. Preferably, the side wall is cylindrical. However, the side wall may have any cross-sectional shape other than circular.

A pocket may in general be formed by one or more bodies protruding from the back plate. The body or bodies may in general protrude substantially perpendicular or normal relative to the back plate. As such, a substantially constant cross-section area may be obtained for the pocket. A substantially constant cross-section area may allow sliding or translating of the flush button inside the pocket. In use, part of the flush button may extend out of the pocket, towards the front panel.

As a particular option, the flush button and the pocket together comprise a sliding mechanism allowing the flush button to slide in the pocket relative to the back plate. The flush button and the pocket together comprising the sliding mechanism implies that the sliding mechanism may be formed by both the flush button and the pocket. The sliding movement of the flush button relative to the pocket may be caused by virtue of a user pushing the button further into the pocket.

When the flush button comprises a notch, the pocket comprises a slot, and the notch extends into the slot, the notch and slot may together form at least part of the sliding mechanism. More in general, in embodiment of the flush plate assembly, a first of the flush button and the pocket comprises one or more notches, and the other of the flush button and the pocket comprises one or more slots.

When the flush button comprises a notch, the notch may be removeable connected to the button, for example via a press-fit or threaded connection. By being able to connect a separate notch to the flush button, assembling the flush plate assembly may become more convenient. For example, during assembly, the button may be positioned at least partially inside the pocket, and the notch may be connected to the button by moving the notch through a slot of the pocket.

A notch for example comprised by the sliding mechanism may protrude in a direction substantially perpendicular to a sliding direction of the button in the pocket. This direction may be substantially parallel to the back plate. It will be appreciated, for example also from the figures, that any notch discussed herein may also be referred to as a pin, embossment, cam or protrusion.

In embodiments, the flush plate assembly comprises a resilient element forcing the flush button towards the front plate. As such, in use, when the use presses the flush button and subsequently releases the flush button, the flush button may be pushed back by the resilient element. The resilient element may for example be embodied as a spring, in particular a coil spring.

A sealing member may be positioned between the back plate and the front plate and/or around the back plate. For example, the sealing member may be a circumferential sealing member surrounding an opening through the sealing member. The sealing member may for example prevent contaminants such as water, dirt, and dust to collect between the front plate and the back plate when the flush plate assembly is assembled. The sealing member may be attached to the front plate or attached to the back plate, for example using glue. When the sealing member is provided around the back plate, the back plate may not be visible anymore to a user, which may be preferred.

Alternatively, or additionally, the sealing member may be clamped in between the front plate and the back plate. The sealing member may comprise an elastic material, allowing the sealing member to be elastically deformed when the flush plate assembly is in the assembled state.

In embodiments of the flush plate assembly, the front plate is releasably connected to the back plate. This may allow the front plate to be dismounted, allowing access to the back plate. With the front plate dismounted, the back plate may be removed or disconnected from a toilet assembly, for example allowing access to an inspection panel. Preferably, the releasable connection between the back plate and the front plate is a clamped connection.

In general, a clamped connection may be formed by press-fitting a clamping body into a hole. As such, a press-fit between the clamping body and the hole may be obtained, which press-fit is an example of a clamped connection. A press fit is also known as an interference fit or a friction fit, and in general uses to tightly fitting mating parts which are held together by friction when the male mating part is inserted in the female mating part. A clamped connection may be hidden from the sight of the user, which may aesthetically preferred.

For example, one or more holes may be comprised by the front plate and/or the back plate, and one or more clamping bodies may be comprised by or releasably connected to the front plate, comprised by or releasably connected to the back plate, or more in general comprised by the flush plate assembly. When the one or more clamping bodies are comprised by or connected to the front plate, the one or more clamping bodies may extend from a rear side of the front plate towards the back plate in the assembled state of the flush plate assembly. In particular, the one or more clamping bodies may extend substantially perpendicular to the front plate. This allows the front plate to be connected to the back plate via a motion of the front plate relative to the back plate perpendicular to the front plate and perpendicular to the back plate. In assembled state, in general, the front plate and the back plate may be oriented substantially parallel.

For guiding a movement of the flush button relative to the back plate, the flush button and the back plate may together comprise a guiding mechanism. The guiding mechanism comprises at least one guided member extending in a direction perpendicular to the back plate and at least one guide, wherein the at least one guided member is arranged to move in the at least one guide. Embodiments of the flush plate assembly may comprise multiple guided members, for example three, and a corresponding number of guides.

The guiding mechanism may prevent or reduce movement of the button relative to the back plate. In particular, the guiding mechanism may prevent or significantly reduce a rotational degree of freedom of the flush button relative to the back plate around a rotation axis perpendicular to the front plate.

As a particular option, the guided member is releasably connected to the flush button, for example via a threaded connection or a press-fit connection. As a further option, a guide may be formed as a hole in the back plate, in particular as a hole in the pocket.

A second aspect provides a toilet assembly, comprising a cistern, arranged to be filled with a volume of water, a cistern discharge valve, arranged to selectively restrict or allow a flow of water out of the cistern, a flush activation unit for operating the cistern discharge valve, and a flush plate assembly according to any of the preceding claims mounted in front of the flush activation unit, wherein the button of the flush plate is arranged to engage the flush activation unit when the button is moved away from the front panel of the flush plate.

The flush activation unit may comprise a push-rod, and the flush button may be pushed against the push-rod. In assembled state, the push-rod may contact the flush button, in particular an optional indentation in the rear side of the flush button.

An example of an embodiment of a flush plate assembly will now be elucidated in conjunction with figures. It will be understood that embodiments of the flush plate assembly with less or other optional features disclosed herein are envisioned as well. In the figures,

Fig. 1 shows a front view of an embodiment of a flush plate assembly;

Fig. 2 shows a section view of the flush plate assembly of Fig. 1, over the line A- A;

Fig. 3 shows a section view of a flush button;

Fig. 4 shows a section view of the embodiment of the flush plate assembly of Fig. 1, over the line B-B;

Fig. 5 shows an exploded view of a particular embodiment of the flush plate assembly; and

Fig. 6 shows a rear view of the back plate.

Fig. 1 shows a front view of an embodiment of a flush plate assembly 100, comprising a front plate 104. The particular embodiment of the flush plate assembly 100 comprises two flush buttons 108 and 108’. The two flush buttons 108, 108’ are accessible to a user, to be pressed for example in order to start a flushing action of a toilet. In use, the front plate 104 may for example fully cover an inspection panel of a toilet assembly with a concealed cistern. Furthermore, the front plate 104 may fully cover the back plate in the front view.

Fig. 2 shows a section view of the flush plate assembly 100 of Fig. 1, over the line A-A depicted in Fig. 1. The flush plate assembly 100 comprises a front plate 104 and a back plate 102, and in the section view a single flush button 108 is visible. The button 108 is shown in a not pressed state. In this state, a front side of the button 108 may be substantially aligned with a front side of the front plate 104.

One or more reinforcement structures 103 may protrude from a rear side the back plate 102 in a direction away from the front plate 104. The front side of the back plate 102 may be substantially flat, or may at least have a shape corresponding to a shape of the rear side of the front plate 104. Preferably, the reinforcement structures 103 are integrally formed with the back plate.

In general, the back plate may be manufactured using injection moulding. The front plate may also be manufacture using injection moulding. The back plate and front plate may as such for example comprise or consist of polyoxymethylene (POM).

The flush button 108 is slidably connected to the back plate 102, and preferably not directly connected to the front plate 104. The flush button 108 is in particular slidable in a direction 110 substantially perpendicular to the back plate 102.

The back plate 102 comprises a pocket 112 for accommodating at least part of the flush button 108. The pocket 112 extends away from the back plate 102, as can be seen in Fig. 2. In the assembled state of the flush plate assembly 100, the pocket 112 also extends away from the front plate 104.

The pocket has a pocket opening 121 at a proximal end of the pocket, allowing access into the pocket. The button is at least partially positioned inside the pocket. When the flush button 108 is pressed, the flush button 108 may be pressed further into the pocket 112. The pocket opening 121 is aligned with the opening through the front plate to allow the flush button 108 to be pressed by the user. When the flush button 108 is not pressed, part of the flush button 108 may extend through the pocket opening 121, and even through the opening 106 in the front plate 104. In particular, a sliding mechanism is formed between notches 114, 114’ comprised by the flush button 108, and slots 116, 116’ comprised by the pocket 112. The notches 114, 114’ extend into their respective slot 116, 116’. The notches 114, 114’ are in this particular embodiment removably connected to the flush button 108. Fig. 6 shows a rear view of the back plate 102 with the slots 116, 116’ indicated. The slots 116 may define the range of movement for the flush button 108.

In general, a resilient element such as a coil spring 122 may be positioned in a space 129 between the flush button 108 and the pocket 112. The coil spring 122 may surround a push rod 151 of a toilet assembly, as shown in the exploded view of Fig. 5. In use, the push rod 151 may extend through a push rod opening 127 in the pocket 112, which push rod opening 127 is also shown in the rear view of Fig. 6. As a further option, the flush button 108 may comprise an indentation 125 in a rear side of the flush button 108. In use, a push rod 151 may protrude into the indentation 125 of the flush button 108 and engage the flush button 108 at the indentation. As such, a more compact design of the flush plate assembly may be obtained.

Fig. 3 shows a section view of a flush button 108 without notches. Instead, the flush button 108 comprises holes 131. 131’ for receiving part of a respective notch 114, 114’ therein. For example, a notch 114 may be screwed, pressed, or glued into its respective hole 131.

In the embodiment of Fig. 2, an optional sealing member 118 is provided around the back plate 102 and behind the front plate 104. The sealing member 118 may for example prevent or restrict contaminants from entering between the back plate 102 and the front plate 104 or prevent the back plate 102 from being visible. The sealing member may for example comprise a foam or may be generally resilient or elastic.

Fig. 2 further depicts an option wherein the flush button 108 and the back plate 102 together comprise a guiding mechanism. In this particular embodiment, the flush button 108 is provided with guided members 126, 126’ which may be embodied as rods protruding away from the flush button 108. The pocket 112 is provided with guides 128 which may be embodied as through-holes through which the respective guided members 126 may move when the flush button 108 is pressed.

Fig. 6 shows a rear view of the back plate 102, in which one of the guides 128 in the pocket 112 are indicated. In this example, three guides 128 are provided, but more in general, only one guide 128, two guides, or even more than three guides may be provided together with any number of guided members. The guiding mechanism may be used to guide the flush button 108 when pressed, such that the flush button 108 substantially only translates in the direction 110 normal to the back plate 104, and essentially cannot move in any other degree of freedom relative to the back plate 104 or front plate 102.

The guiding members 126 may be formed integrally with the flush button 108. Alternatively, as shown in Fig. 2, the guiding members 126 may be connected to the flush button 108, for example using a threaded connection, glued connection, or a press-fit connection. In Fig. 3, the flush button 108 is shown comprising two holes 132, 132’ for receiving part of a guiding member 126 into.

Fig. 4 shows a section view of the embodiment of the flush plate assembly 100 of Fig. 1, over the line B-B depicted in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 shows the front plate 104 releasably connected to the back plate 102 via a clamped connection. The clamped connection is in particular formed by a clamping body 142 clamped into a hole 141, with an optional receptacle 143 positioned between the clamping body 142 and the hole 141. The receptacle may for example be embodied as an anchor, plug, bus, or other type of insert arranged for being positioned in a hole and for receiving at least part of clamping body therein. The receptacle may aid in forming the clamped connection and may allow for differently sized holes and clamping bodies to form the clamped connection together with the receptacle. In the particular embodiment shown in Fig. 4, the clamping body 142 is connected to the front plate 102, or may even be comprised by the front plate. The hole 141 is formed by the back plate 102, for example in one or more of the reinforcement structures 103 protruding away from the back side of the back plate 102. In the rear view of Fig. 6, four holes 141 are visible, only one of which is provided with a reference numeral for clarity of the figures. As can be seen in Fig. 6, the four holes 141 may be positioned asymmetrically, for example to ensure that the front plate 104 can only be connected to the back plate 102 in a particular orientation.

In general, the clamping body 142 may be directly pressed into the hole 141 to form the clamped connection. As a further option, shown in Fig. 4, the clamping body 142 is positioned inside a receptacle 143, which receptacle 143 in turn is positioned in the hole 141. One or more resilient elements such as one or more resilient O-rings 144 may be present between the receptacle 143 and the hole 141. For example, a resilient element may aid in inserting the receptacle 143 into the hole 141, and/or in ensuring the clamped connection.

In the figures, the clamping body 142 is connected to the front plate 104. However, embodiments of the flush plate assembly 100 are also envisioned in which one or more separate clamping bodies are provided, and/or in which the clamping bodies are connected to the back plate and one or more holes are provided by the front plate.

Fig. 5 shows an exploded view of a particular embodiment of the flush plate assembly 100. The same components discussed in conjunction with the other figures have been provided with the same reference numerals. Fig. 5 also shows two push rods 151 typically comprised by a toilet assembly, in particular by the flush activation unit for operating a cistern discharge valve. A set of mounting screws 152 are shown, which may be used to mount the back plate 102 to a cistern or toilet assembly. Fig. 5 shows an optional opening 155 in the back plate 102. Through the opening 155, in particular when the front plate 104 is disconnected from the back plate 102, the cistern may be accessible. For example, a cleaning agent or a scenting agent may be added into the cistern by a user.

As shown in the rear view of Fig. 6, a pocket 112 may be formed by a cylindrical side wall 161 and a end wall 162 at a distal end of the side wall 161. The slot 116 may be formed in the cylindrical side wall 161. In the end wall 162, the push rod opening 127 and guides 128 may be formed. The end wall may be oriented substantially parallel to the back plate. It will be appreciated that instead of a cylindrical side wall, side walls with any other cross-section shape than circular are also envisioned.

As an option shown for example in Fig. 6, three guides 128 may be provided by a pocket 112. The guides 128 may be angularly spaced 120 degrees relative to each other, and are thus positioned on the vertices of an equilateral triangle. The corresponding guided members 126 may be positioned on vertices of a corresponding equilateral triangle.

In the description above, it will be understood that when an element is referred to as being connect to another element, the element is either directly connected to the other element, or intervening elements may also be present.

It is to be noted that the figures are only schematic representations of embodiments that are given by way of non-limiting examples. For the purpose of clarity and a concise description, features are described herein as part of the same or separate embodiments, however, it will be appreciated that the scope of the disclosure may include embodiments having combinations of all or some of the features described.

The word ‘comprising’ does not exclude the presence of other features or steps. Furthermore, the words 'a' and 'an' shall not be construed as limited to 'only one', but instead are used to mean 'at least one', and do not exclude a plurality.