COMPOSITE WC-BIDET LAVATORY PAN

Abstract: In this composite WC-bidet lavatory pan (1), a built-in system of ducts (5) is provided, which is made of the same material as the lavatory pan (1) and which is located at the rear internal part of the lavatory pan. Said built-in system of ducts (5) is connected to outer hot and cold water supply lines (11, 12). It has at least one water outlet opening (9), located at the back of the rim of the lavatory pan (1). Bidet-type taps (13, 14) are provided on the side parts (6, 7) of the system of ducts (5) for controlling hot and cold water flow.

Description: "Composite C-bidet lavatory pan" The present invention relates to a composite WC- bidet lavatory pan, with particular reference to a built- in system of ducts equipped with flow control means, via which hot and/or cold water is supplied and ejected from the rim of the lavatory pan inwards, thus extending the use of the WC lavatory pan to bidet use. Lavatory pans combining WC and bidet operation in one piece of equipment have been already described in many documents. The common advantages of such equipment are : a) The use of the WC lavatory pan also for bidet use. b) The saving of space in bathrooms, due to combination of WC lavatory pan and bidet into one item. c) The saving of costs, due to the advantage above. d) The ability it offers to people who do not use toilet paper (which account for a considerable proportion of the population) to use the WC lavatory pan as a bidet. Such composite WC-bidet lavatory pans need, of course, a system for supplying and ejecting hot or cold water, or a mixture thereof, with taps or mixing device for controlling the water flow. Various water supply systems have been already disclosed : - Independent water supply systems located on the side of the lavatory pan - see for example European patent application N° 0051982. - Water supply systems incorporated on the cover of the lavatory pan - see for example international patent applications N° WO 85/01765 and N° WO 93/25770. - Water supply systems protruding on the rear part of the lavatory pan - see for example French patent application N° 2682703 and international patent application N° WO 92/10622. - Water supply systems housed in the rear part of the lavatory pan - see for example French utility certificate N° 2646451. These prior art devices are complex and expensive solutions, involving adding of special water supply systems and/or important modification of the design of the cover of the lavatory pan. Further, protruding into the lavatory pan water supply systems may be dangerous, unhygienic and unaesthetic. Water metallic supply systems which are embedded in the core of the lavatory pan are not easy to manufacture. The object of the present invention is to provide an improved composite WC-bidet lavatory pan, having a simplified and more compact water supply system allowing cheaper industrial production of this WC-bidet lavatory pan, thus eliminating the disadvantages of the prior art devices. According to the invention, in a composite WC- bidet lavatory pan of the above-described type, a built-in system of ducts is provided, which is made of the same material as the lavatory pan and which is located at the rear internal part of the lavatory pan, said built-in system of ducts being designed to be connected to outer hot and/or cold water supply lines, and having at least one water outlet opening, located at the back of the rim of the lavatory pan. Due to this arrangement, the supply of water to the outlet opening(s) , through which it is ejected towards the inner part of the lavatory pan, is achieved via a specially designed duct, made of the same material as the lavatory pan and integral with said lavatory pan. This duct, having preferably the shape of a "T", extends towards the two rear side parts of the lavatory pan, where it is connected with the outer hot and cold water supply lines, located at the wall behind the lavatory pan. Commercially available taps for the control of the water flow can be used, similar to those commonly used in commercially available bidet units for water supply via the hollow inner part of the bidet unit. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, first and second bidet-type taps are respectively located at the two side parts of the built-in duct system, for controlling supply of hot and cold water. Industrial working of the invention only needs a slight modification of the mould used to produce the lavatory pan, without altering the basic characteristics of commercially available WC lavatory pans. As the built- in system of ducts is made of the same material as the lavatory pan, any fitting or embedding of metallic pipes is eliminated. The shape of this integral duct allows its location on both sides and in front and over the centrally located conventional flushing duct which is connected to the high or low pressure cistern, the invention using the free space around said flushing duct. According to a further feature of the invention, the built-in system of ducts has an inclined inner bottom surface ; this eliminates undesirable collection of water in the system of ducts. Preferably, the built-in system of ducts comprises a central small ejecting duct, terminating in said water outlet opening, the small ejecting duct being inclined upwards if necessary and still being drained by an appropriate design of the bottom of said small ejecting duct and of the outlet opening. Further, the inner surface of said built-in system of ducts can be glazed. These additional features provide a clean and hygienic suDply of water. An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of an example, with reference to the attached drawings, in which : Figure 1 is a perspective view of the composite WC-bidet lavatory pan according to the invention ; Figure 2 is a top plan view of the lavatory pan, taken along the line II-II of figure 3 ; Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the lavatory pan, taken along the line III-III of figure 2 ; Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of the lavatory pan, taken along the line IV-IV of figure 2 ; Figure 5 is a schematic perspective representation of the built-in system of ducts ; Figure 6 is a vertical sectional wiew of the small ejecting duct of said built-in system of ducts. As can be seen in figures 1 to 5, the said composite WC-bidet lavatory pan consists of a WC lavatory pan 1 which is flushed (according to the drawings presented) by a low pressure cistern 2, via a flushing duct 3, a siphon connection 4 being provided at the back of the lavatory pan 1. Numeral 5 indicates generally a built-in system of ducts which is located at the rear part of the lavatory pan 1 and which is made of the same molded material as the lavatory pan 1. As can be seen particularly from figures 2 and 5, the system of ducts 5 is a cavity or chamber having the shape of Greek letter "T" with two rear side parts 6 and 7 linked at approximately right angles by a transverse front part 8, these parts surrounding the flushing duct 3. The transverse front part 8 of the system of ducts 5 is connected to a central small water ejecting duct 16, terminating in an outlet opening 9 located at the back of the rim of the lavatory pan 1. The outlet opening 9 is protected, for the sake of cleanliness and hygiene, by a small projection 10 of the rim of the lavatory pan 1. A hot water outer supply line 11 is connected to the first side part 6 of the system of ducts 5. A cold water outer supply line 12 is connected to the second side part 7 of the system of ducts 5. A first bidet-type tap 13, located on one side of the pan lavatory 1, controls the supply of hot water through supply line 11. A second bidet-type tap 14, located on the opposite side of the lavatory pan 1, controls the supply of cold water through supply line 12. The mixing of hot and cold waters is effected in the transverse part 8 of the system of ducts 5. As shown by figure 3, the inner bottom surface 15 of said system of ducts 5 is inclined, its front part being lower than its rear part, this avoiding water to collect and become stale in the cavity. The design of the small water ejecting duct 16, terminating in outlet opening 9, may be such as to direct the water to any desired degree, upwards or downards, with a provision of drainage, to avoid collection of stale water - see figure 6. The inner surface of the cavity can be rough or glazed. Due to the transverse part 8 and the ejecting duct 16, the flushing duct 3 is lowered downards by about 3 cm with respect to the region where it is usually connected to the rim of the lavatory pan 1. This will not influence the water flow for flushing, after making an appropriate small change to the mould, in order to improve the flow of the flushing water. Otherwise, the method for industrial production of this lavatory pan, combining WC and bidet features, is not different from that used for the production of common WC lavatory pans that are commercially available. Only one embodiment of this composite WC-bidet lavatory pan has been shown and described in detail herein ; however, various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the two taps may be replaced by a sole mixing device simultaneously controlling hot and cold water supply, the shape of the built-in system of ducts may be subject to numerous variations, and the principle of the invention may be carried out in a lavatory pan with a low siphon or a high-pressure cistern.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Composite WC-bidet lavatory pan, having a hot and/or cold water supply system equipped with flow control means, via which water is supplied and ejected from the rim of the lavatory pan inwards, thus extending the use of the WC lavatory pan to bidet use, characterized in that a built-in system of ducts (5) is provided, which is made of the same material as the lavatory pan (1) and which is located at the rear internal part of the lavatory pan (1) , said built-in system of ducts (5) being designed to be connected to outer hot and/or cold water supply lines (11,12), and having at least one water outlet opening (9), located at the back of the rim of the lavatory pan (1) . 2. Composite WC-bidet lavatory pan according to claim 1, characterized in that the built-in system of ducts (5) has the shape of a "ir", and extends towards the two rear side parts of the lavatory pan (1) , where it is connected with the outer hot and cold water supply lines (11,12). 3. Composite WC-bidet lavatory pan according to claim 2, characterized in that the built-in system of ducts (5) surrounds the flushing duct (3) , which is lowered downwards. 4. Composite WC-bidet lavatory pan according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the two side parts (6,7) of the built-in system of ducts (5) are linked by a transverse front part (8) having a central outlet opening (9). 5. Composite WC-bidet lavatory pan according to claim 4, characterized in that the outlet opening (9) is protected by a small projection (10) of the rim of the lavatory pan (1) . 6. Composite WC-bidet lavaroty pan according to any of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that first and second bidet-type taps (13,14) are respectively located at the two side parts (6,7) of the built-in duct system (5), for controlling supply of hot and cold water. 7. Composite WC-bidet lavatory pan according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the built-in system of ducts (5) has an inclined inner bottom surface (15). 8. Composite WC-bidet lavatory pan according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the built-in system of ducts (5) comprises a central small ejecting duct (16), terminating in said water outlet opening (9), the small ejecting duct (16) being inclined upwards if necessary and still being drained by an appropriate design of the bottom of said small ejecting duct (16) and of the outlet opening (9) .

Inventors: TRIANDAFILIDIS IOANNIS V, TRIANDAFILIDIS, IOANNIS, V.
Applicants: TRIANDAFILIDIS IOANNIS V, TRIANDAFILIDIS, IOANNIS, V.
Application year: 1995
Main classification: E03D9
IPC codes: E03D9