ANTI-BACKFLOW DEVICE AND BIDET

An anti-backflow device and a bidet are provided. The anti-backflow device includes a housing, an anti-siphon member, and a non-return assembly. A top of a water-passing chamber of the housing is provided with a vent. A bottom of the water-passing chamber is provided with a water inlet. A side wall of the water-passing chamber is provided with a water outlet. A sealing sheet of the anti-siphon member is movable to block the vent. The non-return assembly allows water to flow through the water inlet in only one direction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a sanitary device, and more particularly to an anti-backflow device and a bidet.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In general, some water discharge devices (such as showers, bidets, etc.) may have residual water inside the devices after use. After a period of time, the residual water in the water discharge devices may deteriorate or breed bacteria. When the water supply pipeline generates a negative pressure and the water discharge device is not closed, a siphon phenomenon will occur, causing the residual water in the water discharge device to flow back to the water supply and pollute the water supply. In addition, due to external factors, the outlet end of the water discharge device may be immersed in the sewage. For example, the toilet bowl is clogged, and the nozzle of the bidet is inundated with the sewage in the toilet bowl. In this case, if there is a negative pressure in the water supply pipeline and the water discharge device is not closed, a siphon phenomenon will occur. As a result, the external sewage flows back to the water supply to pollute the water supply.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an anti-backflow device, which can prevent water from flowing back to pollute a water supply. The present invention further provides a bidet having the anti-backflow device.

According to one aspect of the present invention, an anti-backflow device is provided. The anti-backflow device comprises a housing, an anti-siphon member, and a non-return assembly. The housing is provided with a water inlet port and a water outlet port. The housing has a water-passing chamber therein. A top of the water-passing chamber is provided with a vent. A bottom of the water-passing chamber is provided with a water inlet communicating with the water inlet port. A side wall of the water-passing chamber is provided with a water outlet communicating with the water outlet port. The anti-siphon member is vertically movably fitted to the housing. The anti-siphon member includes a sealing sheet located below the vent. The sealing sheet is movable to block the vent. The non-return assembly includes a non-return valve core and a spring. The non-return valve core is vertically movably disposed in the water-passing chamber. The non-return valve core is movable to block the water inlet. The spring is fitted in the water-passing chamber. Upper and lower ends of the spring lean against the housing and the non-return valve core, respectively.

Preferably, the housing includes an outer housing, an inner housing, and an end cap. The outer housing is provided with the water inlet port and the water outlet port. A mounting chamber is formed inside the outer housing. A top of the mounting chamber is provided with a mounting opening. A bottom of the mounting chamber is provided with an entry communicating with the water inlet port. A side wall of the mounting chamber is provided with an exit communicating with the water outlet port. The end cap is hermetically mounted on the mounting opening. An upper chamber is formed inside the end cap. A top of the upper chamber is provided with the vent. A bottom of the upper chamber is provided with a through hole. The anti-siphon member is vertically movably fitted to the end cap. The inner housing is hermetically mounted in the mounting chamber. A lower chamber is formed inside the inner housing. A top of the lower chamber is provided with a perforation communicating with the through hole. The upper chamber communicates with the lower chamber to form the water-passing chamber. A bottom of the lower chamber is provided with the water inlet. The water inlet communicates with the entry. A side wall of the lower chamber is provided with the water outlet. The water outlet communicates with the exit. The water outlet is in communication with the perforation.

Preferably, the lower chamber of the inner housing is fitted with the non-return valve core of the non-return assembly. The non-return valve core is vertically movably disposed in the lower chamber. The upper end of the spring leans against an inner top wall of the lower chamber.

Preferably, the inner housing includes an upper cover and a lower cover that is detachably fitted to a bottom of the upper cover. The lower chamber is formed between the upper cover and the lower cover. The perforation of the lower chamber is formed on a top of the upper cover. The water outlet of the lower chamber is formed on a side wall of the upper cover. The water inlet of the lower chamber is formed on a bottom of the lower cover.

Preferably, an upper end of the anti-siphon member is provided with a locking block, and the locking block is movably pressed against an upper end surface of the end cap.

Preferably, a top of the outer housing is provided with at least two mounting portions. The mounting portions surround the mounting opening. Each mounting portion has an engaging groove. A lower portion of the end cap is fitted into the mounting opening. A side wall of the end cap is provided with a plurality of engaging blocks corresponding to the mounting portions respectively. The engaging blocks are rotatably engaged with the engaging grooves of the mounting portions, respectively.

Preferably, an end cap sealing ring is provided between the side wall of the lower portion of the end cap and an inner wall of the mounting opening.

Preferably, an inner housing sealing ring is provided between an outer wall of the inner housing and an inner wall of the mounting chamber, and the inner housing sealing ring is located below the water outlet.

Preferably, the non-return valve core includes a sealing cover and a sealing pad. The sealing pad is fitted to a bottom of the sealing cover. The sealing pad is movable to block the water inlet. The lower end of the spring leans against the sealing cover.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a bidet is provided. The bidet comprises a bidet body. The bidet body includes a water diversion valve and a nozzle assembly. The water diversion valve is fixed to the bidet body. The water diversion valve includes a water diversion valve body and a water diversion valve core. The water diversion valve body has an inlet end and at least two outlet ends. The water diversion valve core is fitted to the water diversion valve body and controls the inlet end of the water diversion valve body to communicate with or not to communicate with each outlet end. The nozzle assembly includes a plurality of nozzles. Each nozzle is fitted to the bidet body. Each outlet end of the water diversion valve is in communication with a corresponding one of the nozzles of the nozzle assembly through the foregoing anti-backflow device. The water inlet port of the anti-backflow device is in communication with the corresponding outlet end of the water diversion valve, and the water outlet port of the anti-backflow device is in communication with the corresponding nozzle of the nozzle assembly.

After adopting the above solution, the anti-backflow device of the present invention can prevent the water at the water outlet port from flowing back to the water inlet port through the anti-siphon member and the non-return assembly, thereby achieving the effect of preventing the backflow of the water flow and avoiding the pollution of the water supply caused by the backflow of the water flow. Moreover, each of the anti-siphon member and the non-return assembly of the present invention can independently achieve the effect of preventing the backflow of the water flow, so that the anti-backflow device of the present invention has high reliability of anti-backflow.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As shown inFIGS. 1 to 4, the present invention discloses an anti-backflow device A, comprising a housing1, an anti-siphon member2, and a non-return assembly3. The housing1is provided with a water inlet port115and a water outlet port116. The housing1has a water-passing chamber100therein. The top of the water-passing chamber100is provided with a vent121, and the bottom of the water-passing chamber100is provided with a water inlet132communicating with the water inlet port115. The side wall of the water-passing chamber100is provided with a water outlet133communicating with the water outlet port116. The anti-siphon member2is vertically movably fitted to the housing1. The anti-siphon member2includes a sealing sheet21located below the vent121. The sealing sheet21is movable to block the vent121. The non-return assembly3includes a non-return valve core31and a spring32. The non-return valve core31is vertically movably disposed in the water-passing chamber100. The non-return valve core31is movable to block the water inlet132. The spring32is fitted in the water-passing chamber100. Upper and lower ends of the spring32lean against the housing1and the non-return valve core31respectively, so as to drive the non-return valve31to block the water inlet132.

As shown inFIGS. 1 to 4, the housing1may include an outer housing11, an end cap12, and an inner housing13. The outer housing11is provided with the water inlet port115and the water outlet port116. A mounting chamber110is formed inside the outer housing11. The top of the mounting chamber110is provided with a mounting opening111. The bottom of the mounting chamber110is provided with an entry112communicating with the water inlet port115. The side wall of the mounting chamber110is provided with an exit113communicating with the water outlet port116. The end cap12is hermetically mounted on the mounting opening111. An upper chamber120is formed inside the end cap12. The top of the upper chamber120is provided with the vent121. The bottom of the upper chamber120is provided with a through hole122. The inner housing13is hermetically mounted in the mounting chamber110. A lower chamber130is formed inside the inner housing13. The top of the lower chamber130is provided with a perforation131communicating with the through hole122, so that the upper chamber120communicates with the lower chamber130to form the water-passing chamber100. The bottom of the lower chamber130is provided with the water inlet132. The water inlet132communicates with the entry112. The side wall of the lower chamber130is provided with the water outlet133. The water outlet133communicates with the exit113. The water outlet133is in communication with the perforation131so that outside air can enter the water outlet133and the exit113through the vent121. As shown inFIGS. 1 to 4, the top of the outer housing11is provided with at least two mounting portions114. The mounting portions114surround the mounting opening111. Each mounting portion114has an engaging groove1141. The lower portion of the end cap12is fitted into the mounting opening111, and an end cap sealing ring123is provided between the side wall of the lower portion of the end cap12and the inner wall of the mounting opening111, so that the lower portion of the end cap12is hermetically fitted into the mounting opening111. The side wall of the end cap12is provided with a plurality of engaging blocks124corresponding to the mounting portions114, respectively. The engaging blocks124are rotatably engaged with the engaging grooves1141of the mounting portions114respectively to prevent the lower portion of the end cap12from coming out of the mounting opening111. As shown inFIGS. 2 to 4, an inner housing sealing ring134is provided between the outer wall of the inner housing13and the inner wall of the mounting chamber110, so that the inner housing14is hermetically fitted in the mounting chamber110. The inner housing sealing ring134is located below the water outlet133. As shown inFIGS. 2 to 4, the inner housing13includes an upper cover1301and a lower cover1302that is detachably fitted to the bottom of the upper cover1301. The lower chamber130is formed between the upper cover1301and the lower cover1302. The perforation131of the lower chamber130is formed on the top of the upper cover1301. The water outlet133of the lower chamber130is formed on the side wall of the upper cover1301. The water inlet132of the lower chamber130is formed on the bottom of the lower cover1302. It should be noted that the housing1of the present invention is not limited to being composed of the outer housing11, the end cap12and the inner housing13. The housing1may be formed by joining two half housings. The water-passing chamber100is formed between the two half housings.

As shown inFIGS. 2 to 4, the anti-siphon member2is vertically movably fitted to the end cap12of the housing1. The upper end of the anti-siphon member2is provided with a locking block22. The locking block22is movably pressed against the upper end surface of the end cap12to prevent the anti-siphon member2from being separated from the end cap12. The middle portion of the anti-siphon member2is vertically movably disposed in the vent121of the end cap12, and a gap is defined between the middle portion of the anti-siphon member2and the inner wall of the vent121of the end cap12to ensure air circulation.

As shown inFIGS. 2 to 4, the lower chamber130of the inner housing13is fitted with the non-return valve core31of the non-return assembly3. The non-return valve core31is vertically movably disposed in the lower chamber130of the inner housing13. The upper end and the lower end of the spring32lean against the inner top wall of the lower chamber130and the non-return valve core31respectively, so that the spring32can drive the non-return valve core31to block the water inlet132. As shown inFIGS. 2 to 4, the non-return valve core31may include a sealing cover311and a sealing pad312. The sealing pad312is fitted to the bottom of the sealing cover311, and the sealing pad312is movable to block the water inlet132. The lower end of the spring32leans against the sealing cover311, thereby providing a downward force to the sealing cover311and the sealing pad312. A central hole3111is defined in the sealing cover311. A connecting post313is connected to the upper end surface of the sealing pad312. The connecting post313passes through the central hole3111in a bottom-up direction. The top of the connecting post3121is formed with a limiting block3131to be engaged with the sealing cover311to prevent the sealing pad312from falling off.

The working principle of the anti-backflow device A according to the present invention is described below. As shown inFIG. 3, when water flows into the water inlet port115, the water will impact the non-return valve core31and drive the non-return valve core31to move up. The water inlet132is opened and the spring32is compressed, so that the water flows into the water-passing chamber100. The water flowing into the water-passing chamber100will impact the sealing sheet21of the anti-siphon member2to move the sealing sheet21upward so as to block the vent121, thereby preventing the water in the water-passing chamber100from leaking via the vent121. At the same time, the water flowing into the water-passing chamber100flows to the water outlet port116through the water outlet133to be discharged. As shown inFIG. 4, when there is no water flowing into the water inlet port115of the present invention, the non-return valve core31is no longer impacted by the water, and the spring32is returned to move the non-return valve core31downward to block the water inlet132. In this way, even if siphon negative pressure is generated at the water inlet port115, the water at the water outlet port116will not flow back to the water inlet port115. In addition, when there is no water flowing into the water inlet port115and the water in the water-passing chamber100drops below the exit113, the anti-siphon member2moves down under its own gravity to open the vent121, so that the exit113is in communication with the outside atmosphere through the vent121, thereby avoiding the occurrence of siphoning, so as to prevent the water at the water outlet port116from flowing back to the water inlet port115due to the negative pressure of the siphon.

In summary, the anti-backflow device A of the present invention can prevent the water at the water outlet port116from flowing back to the water inlet port115through the anti-siphon member2and the non-return assembly3, thereby achieving the effect of preventing the backflow of the water flow and avoiding the pollution of the water supply caused by the backflow of the water flow. Moreover, each of the anti-siphon member2and the non-return assembly3of the present invention can independently achieve the effect of preventing the backflow of the water flow, so that the anti-backflow device A of the present invention has high reliability of anti-backflow.

As shown inFIG. 5andFIG. 6, the present invention also discloses a bidet, comprising a bidet body B. The bidet body B includes a water diversion valve C and a nozzle assembly D. The water diversion valve C is fixed to the bidet body A. The water diversion valve C includes a water diversion valve body C1and a water diversion valve core C2. The water diversion valve body C1has an inlet end C11and at least two outlet ends C12. The water diversion valve core C2is fitted onto the water diversion valve body C1and controls the inlet end C11of the water diversion valve body C1to communicate with or not to communicate with each outlet end C12. The nozzle assembly D includes a plurality of nozzles D1Each nozzle D1is fitted to the bidet body B. Each outlet end C12of the water diversion valve C is in communication with each nozzle D1of the nozzle assembly D through the above-mentioned anti-backflow device A. The water inlet port115of the anti-backflow device A is in communication with the outlet end C12of the water diversion valve C. The water outlet port116of the anti-backflow device A is in communication with the nozzle D1of the nozzle assembly D. The anti-backflow device A can prevent the backflow problem of the bidet, thereby ensuring the cleanness of the water supply. The bidet body B is composed of an upper body B1and a lower body B2that are joined together. The water diversion valve C is locked on the bidet body B by screws. The outlet end C12of the water diversion valve C is directly connected to the water inlet port115of the anti-backflow device A, while the nozzle D1is connected to the water outlet port116of the anti-backflow device A through a hose.

As shown inFIG. 6, the water diversion valve C may be a three-way water diversion valve, that is, the water diversion valve body C1has three outlet ends C12. The nozzle assembly D has three nozzles, defined as a first cleaning nozzle, a second cleaning nozzle, and a self-cleaning nozzle. The first cleaning nozzle and the second cleaning nozzle are arranged side by side. The self-cleaning nozzle is arranged above the first cleaning nozzle and the second cleaning nozzle. The first cleaning nozzle and the second cleaning nozzle are configured to clean the user. The self-cleaning nozzle is configured to clean the first cleaning nozzle and the second cleaning nozzle. The three outlet ends C12of the water diversion valve body C1are respectively connected to the first cleaning nozzle, the second cleaning nozzle and the self-cleaning nozzle through the anti-backflow device A. As shown inFIG. 6, in addition, the bidet body B is provided with a water mixing valve E. The mixed water outlet end of the water mixing valve E is in communication with the inlet end C11of the water diversion valve C. The temperature of water discharged from the nozzle D1can be controlled by the water mixing valve E.