Subject of the Invention

The invention relates to a system enabling the flushing system triggering mechanism, which permits the water flow from the flush tank into the toilet as a result of the force applied by the user, to be controlled electronically.

State of the Art

Today, the ceramic sanitary ware are frequently preferred in the areas like bathrooms, toilet rooms and kitchens. It is required to clean the ceramic sanitary ware after the use and the flushing systems are employed for this purpose. According to the state of the art, the water to be used for cleaning is commonly stored in a flush tank wherein the flow of said stored water into the ceramic sanitary ware takes place upon the user activating the flushing system, thereby enabling the ceramic sanitary ware to be cleaned.

The discharge of the water stored in the flush tank into the toilet bowl is most of the time controlled by means of a mechanical system. There are preferably at least two buttons, which enable said mechanical system to be triggered, wherein the discharge mechanism inside the flush tank is actuated as a result of the force applied by the user on said buttons, and said mechanism, by opening the connection between the flush tank and the toilet, enables the water to flow into the toilet bowl and the toilet to be flushed.

Today, the flushing systems that are able to be triggered electronically are also available. By their nature, said systems have components that are appropriate for being triggered electronically. A solution enabling the systems, which are triggered as a result of the force applied by a user, to be converted into the systems possible to be triggered electronically is not available in the state of the art and it is necessary to replace the entire flushing system in order to meet said need. The invention relates to a conversion system, by means of which the force is enabled to be applied in an electronically controlled manner in the systems where the water inside the flush tank is enabled to be discharged into the toilet bowl as a result of the application of a force, and thus, the existing mechanically controlled systems are conferred the ability to be controlled electronically.

Object of the Invention

An object of the invention is to convert a system into an electronically controllable form by replacing the mechanical control panel, which enables the water inside the flush tank to be discharged into the toilet bowl as a result of the application of a force by the user.

Another object of the invention is to develop a system, in which the force required to be applied for the triggering is enabled to be applied electronically simply by way of replacement of the mechanical control panel, without any change being made in the existing triggering mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to develop a system, in which the force required to be applied for the triggering is enabled to be applied electronically, without having to install any additional power line and similar line in the existing system.

Description of the Figures

Figure 1: An exploded view of the system according to the invention

Figure 2: An isometric view of the keys and the keyway

Figure 3: A sectional view of the keys and the keyway

Figure 4: A sectional view showing the state in which one of the mechanical triggering arms has been triggered

Figure 5: A sectional view showing the state in which the mechanical triggering arm has not been triggered Figure 6: A side sectional view showing the state in which the body has been positioned in place of the mechanical panel

Reference Numerals

1 : Mechanical triggering arm

2 : Push key

21 : Push key inclined surface

3 : Pressure key

31 : Pressure key inclined surface

32 : Pressure key movement limiting member

4 : Keyway

41 : Push key cavity

42 : Pressure key cavity

43 : Pressure key movement limiting member bearing

5 : Actuator

6 : Control unit

7 : Trigger

8 : Body

9 : Power storage unit

Detailed Description of the Invention

The invention relates to a system enabling the flushing system triggering mechanism, which permits the water flow from the flush tank into the toilet as a result of the force applied by the user, to be controlled electronically. More particularly, the invention relates to a conversion system enabling a mechanically triggered system to become able to be triggered electronically, wherein the force that is necessary to be applied on the mechanical triggering arm (1) to discharge the water in the flush tank into the toilet is applied on said mechanical triggering arm (1) as a result of the movement of at least one actuator (5). The system according to the invention comprises

• at least one pressure key (3), which moves in a way to apply a push force on the mechanical triggering arm (1) that enables the connection between the flush tank and the toilet bowl to be opened,

• at least one push key (2), which enables the pressure key (3) to move in a way to apply a push force on the mechanical triggering arm (1), and

• at least one actuator (5), which provides the movement of the push key (2).

A preferred embodiment of the invention has at least one keyway (4), in which the push key (2) and/or the pressure key (3) is/are positioned in a way to be able to move. Said keyway (4) has at least one push key cavity (41), inside which the push key (2) is to move and/or at least one pressure key cavity (42), inside which the pressure key (3) is to move.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the push key (2) has at least one push key inclined surface (21) and/or the pressure key (3) has at least one pressure key inclined surface (31). The push key (2) and the pressure key (3) are positioned into the keyway (4) in such a way that the push key inclined surface (21) will contact the pressure key inclined surface (31). The push key (2), as a result of its movement inside the keyway (4), applies a force on the pressure key (3) and enables said pressure key (3) to move. More specifically, as a result of the movement of the push key (2), the push key inclined surface (21) applies a force on the pressure key inclined surface (31) and enables the pressure key (3) to move in a direction perpendicular to the movement axis of the push key (2). The pressure key (3), as a result of its said movement, applies on the mechanical triggering arm (1), which enables the toilet to be flushed by enabling the connection between the flush tank and the toilet to be opened as a result of a force normally applied by the user, a force that is similar to the force applied by the user and thus enables the water inside the flush tank to be discharged into the toilet.

While it is desired that the pressure key (3) moves inside the keyway (4) in a way to apply a push force on the mechanical triggering arm (1), it is further desired that said movement is limited. For this purpose, a preferred embodiment of the invention has at least one pressure key movement limiting member (32), which enables the movement of the pressure key (3) to be limited. The keyway (4) correspondingly has at least one pressure key movement limiting member bearing (43), inside which the pressure key movement limiting member (32) is to move. The pressure key movement limiting member (32) is preferably fixed on the pressure key (3) and said pressure key movement limiting member (32), as a result of its movement inside the pressure key movement limiting member bearing (43), permits the movement of the pressure key (3) and in this way, the undesirable movements of the pressure key (3) are prevented.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the actuator (5), which provides the movement of the push key (2), is a linear actuator (5). Accordingly, each time the actuator (5) is triggered, the shaft of the actuator (5) applies a push force on the push key (2) and moves the push key (2) in a direction in which it will apply a force on the pressure key (3). In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the movement direction of the shaft of the actuator (5) and the movement direction of the pressure key (3) are perpendicular to each other.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the actuator (5), which provides the movement of the push key (2), is a motor performing a rotational movement. In said embodiment, the shaft of the actuator (5) and the push key (2) each has at least one threaded portion. The connection between the push key (2) and the actuator (5) is provided upon the threaded portion of the shaft of the actuator (5) entering the threaded portion on the push key (2). As a result of the rotational movement of the shaft of the actuator (5), said shaft moves inside the threaded portion of the push key (2), and since the actuator (5) is fixed, the push key (2) moves in a direction of approaching or moving away from the actuator (5) as a result of the rotational movement and enables, as a result of said movement, the pressure key (3) to move in a way to apply a push force on the mechanical triggering arm (1).

A preferred embodiment of the invention has at least one control unit (6), which enables the movement of the actuator (5) to be controlled. A preferred embodiment of the invention has at least one trigger (7), which, as a result of being triggered, enables the control unit (6) to initiate and/or terminate the movement of the actuator (5). In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the trigger (7) is a sensor that may be touch- triggered and/or a sensor that is able to detect the proximity and/or motion.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has at least one body (8), on which the keyway (4) and accordingly the push key (2) and the pressure key (3) and/or the actuator (5) and/or the control unit (6) and/or the trigger (7) are positioned. The body (8) is a body (8), which is positioned in place of the mechanical panel enabling the flushing system to be controlled and which thus enables the existing system to be converted into an electronic system. The pressure key (3) is positioned in the keyway (4), the keyway (4) is positioned on the body (8) and the body (8) is positioned in place of the mechanical panel in such a way that a push force will be applied on the mechanical triggering arm (1) as a result of the movement of the pressure key (3).

A preferred embodiment of the invention has at least one power storage unit (9), which supplies the power required by the actuator (5) and/or the control unit (6) and/or the trigger (7).

An embodiment of the invention, which is employed to enable a flushing system performing the flushing with two different volumes of water to be controlled electronically, comprises a total of two pressure keys (3), one enabling a push force to be applied on a first mechanical triggering arm (1) that enables the water in a first volume to be discharged into the toilet and one enabling a push force to be applied on a second mechanical triggering arm (1) that enables the water in a second volume to be discharged into the toilet, and two pieces each of the push key (2) enabling a force to be applied on the respective pressure keys (3), of the actuator (5) enabling the respective push keys (2) to move and of the trigger (7) enabling the respective actuators (5) to be triggered. In this way, a different group of actuator (5), push key (2) and pressure key (3) moves and the force is applied on a different mechanical triggering arm (1) depending on the trigger (7) that is triggered, and as a result, the water in a different volume is enabled to be delivered into the toilet. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the position of the mechanical triggering arms (1) and/or the position of the keyway (4), and therefore the pressure key (3), on the body (8) may be adjusted. As a result, the system according to the invention is enabled to be used with all the systems, irrespective of the brand and the model of the flushing system.

Owing to the system according to the invention, the force applied by a user on the mechanical triggering arm (1), which enables the water inside the flush tank to be delivered into the toilet, is enabled to be applied automatically by way of replacement of the triggering panel, without any change being made in the general structure of the existing flushing system with mechanical and manual control, and as a result, the flushing system is conferred the ability of being controlled electronically.