COMPOSITE WC-BIDET LAVATORY PAN, WITH A BUILT-IN PIPING SYSTEM

Abstract: In this composite WC-bidet lavatory pan (1), a built-in piping system (7, 9, 4) is provided and which is installed at the rear internal part of the lavatory pan (1). Said built-in system (7, 9, 4) is connected to outer cold and/or hot water supply lines (12, 11). It has at least one water outlet nozzle (4), located at the back of the rim (13) of the lavatory pan (1). Taps (6, 8) are provided at the sides of the lavatory pan (1) for controlling cold and hot water flow. Alternative use of a sole mixing device (tap) for controlling simultaneously the flow as well as the temperature of the ejected water is possible. A lone normal tap may be used in case hot water is not available.

Description: "Composite VC-bidet lavatory pan, ith a built-in piping system" The present invention relates to a composite VC-bidet lavatory pan, ith particular reference to a 5 built-in piping system, equipped with flow control means, via which, cold and/or hot water is supplied and ejected from the rim of the lavatoy pan inwards, thus extending the use of the WC lavatory pan to bidet use. Lavatory pans combining WC and bidet operation in 0 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. tr c) The saving of costs, due to the advantage above. d> The ability it offers to people who donot use toilet paper(who account for a considerable proportion of the population worldwide) to use the WC lavatory pan as a bidet. 0 Such compoεite WC-bidet lavatory pans need, of course, system for supplying and ejecting cold and/or hot water, or a mixture thereof, with taps or a mixing device for controlling the water flow and temperature. Various water supply systems have already been disclosed: 5 - Independent water supply systems located on the side of the lavatory pan-see for example European patent application no 0051982. Water supply systems incorporated on the cover of the lavatory pan- see for example international patent 0 applications no WO 85/01765 and no WO 93/25770. - Water supply systems protruding on the rear part of the lavatory pan- see for example French patent application no 2682703 and international patent application no WO 92/10622. - Water supply systems housed in the rear part of the lavatory pan- see for example French utility certificate no.2646451. These prior art devices are complex and expensive solutions, involving adding of complicated water supply Q systems and/or important modifications of the design of the lavatory pan. Further, protruding into the bowl water supply systems may be dangerous and of course unhygienic and unaeεthetic. Furthermore, water supply systems with metallic parts 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 0 pan, thus eliminating the disadvantages of the prior art devices. According to the invention, in a compoεite VC-bidet lavatory pan of the above-discribed type, a built-in piping system iε provided. Thiε piping εyεtem iε 5 located at the rear internal part of the lavatory pan, said built-in piping system been designed to be connected to outer cold and/or hot water supply lines and having at least one water outlet opening, in the form of a single or multiple hole nozzle, located at the back of the rim of the lavatory pan. Due to this arrangement, the εupply of water to the nozzle, through which it iε ejected towards the inner part of the lavatory pan, is achieved via a specially designed piping system. This piping system extends towards the two rear εide partε of the lavatory pan, where it is connected to the outer cold and/or hot water supply lines, located at the wall behind the lavatory pan. Commercially available tapε which are connected through appropriate holeε at the εideε of the lavatory pan, for the controlof the water flow, may be used, similar to those commonly used in commercially available wash-basin units. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, first and second tapε are reεpectively located at the two εide partε of the lavatory pan, for controlling supply of cold and/or hot water. A single mixing tap controlling εimultaneouεly cold and/or hot water εupply and installed on either of the provided locations of the normal taps, at the sides of the lavatory pan, may alεo be uεed. Industrial working of the invention needε only a εlight modification of the mold uεed to produce the lavatory pan, ithout altering the baεic characteristics of commercially available WC lavatory pans. The shape of the built-in piping syεtem allows its location on both εidee and in front and over the centrally located conventional flashing duct, which iε appropriately lowered and which iε connected to the high or low pressure cistern, the invention using the free space around said flaεhing duct. According to a further feature of the invention, the built-in εyεtem of pipeε runε in an inclined way from the tapε to the ejecting nozzle; thie eliminateε undeεirable collection of water in the εyεtem of pipeε. Thiε additional feature providee a clean and hygienic supply of water. The built-in system of pipes, comprises a centrally located T-shaped piping unit, where cold and hot water are mixed, terminating in the said water ejecting nozzle. An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of an example, with reference to the attached drawings, in which: Figure 1 iε a perεpective view of the composite VC-bidet lavatory pan, according to the invention. Figure 2 iε a top plan view of the lavatory pan, taken along the line 11—I I of figure 3. Figure 3 iε a longitudinal sectional view of the lavatory pan, taken along the line 11 I—11 I of figure 2. Figure 4 iε a vertical sectional view of the lavatory pan, taken along the line IV-IV of figure 2. Figure 5 is a full-βize εection of the T-εhaped piping unit and the ejecting nozzle. Figure 6 iε a full-size front view of the outer head of the nozzle. As can be seen in figures 1 to 4, the said compoεite WC-bidet lavatory pan consists of a WC lavatory pan 1 , which iε flushed (according to the drawingε preeented) by a low pressure cistern 2, via a flushing duct 5 3, a εiphon connection 10 been provided at the back of the lavatory pan 1. numerals 7 and 9 indicate a built-in εyεtem of pipeε, which iε located at the rear part of the lavatory pan 1. Aε can be seen, from figureε 1 to 5, the εyεtem of pipes 7 10 and 9, is located at the rear part of the lavatory pan 1 and are connected to the two side taps 8 and 6 for cold and/or hot water,as well aε to the ejecting nozzle 4, said nozzle piercing the rim 13 of the lavatory pan 1. For the sake of additional cleanliness and hygiene, nozzle 4 is 1 protected by a small projection 5 of the rim 13 of the lavatory pan 1. A hot water outer supply line 11 iε connected to the firεt εide tap 6 of the εyste of pipeε 7and 9. A cold water outer εupply line 12 iε connected to the εecond 20 side tap 8 of the εyεtem of pipeε 7. The mixing of hot and cold waterε iε effected in the T-shaped piping unit 9 of the system of pipes 7 and 9. Aε εhown in figure 3 and 4, the system of pipes 7 and 9 is inclined, its front part being lower than its rear 2 part, this avoiding water to collect and become stale inside the piping system. The angle of the water ejecting nozzle 4, ay be such as to direct the water to any desired degree, upwards or downwards. The openning diameter of the nozzle may vary. In the details herein, a 12 mili eter -2 Q opening is shown. As shown in figures 5 and 6, the fixing of the ejecting nozzle 4 to the wall of the rim 13 of the lavatory pan 1 , iε achieved by the use of elastic washers 14 and the nut 15 which stabilises the nozzle 4, with the help of 3 slots 16. Due to the space needed for the pasεing of the transverse part of the piping system 7 and 9,the flashing duct 3 is lowered by approximately 3 cm, with respect to the region where it is usually connected to the rim 13 of the 40 lavatory pan 1. This will not influence the water flow for flushing, after making an appropriate small change to the mold of the lavatory pan 1 , in order to improve the flow of the flushing water.Otherwise, the method for industrial production of this lavatory pan, combining WC and bidet A C featureε, iε not different from that used for the production of common WC lavatory panε that are coromercialy available. Only one embodiment of thiε composite WC-bidet lavatory pan haε been εhown and deεcribed in detail herein; howeve , various changes and modifications may be 0 made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the two tapε may be replaced by a sole mixing device(tap) , installed on either εide of the lavatory pan, simultaneously controlling cold and hot water εupply. The εyεtem of piping 7 and 9,connected to the nozzle 55 4, may take numerous variations, especially when a sole mixing tap ie used, or a sole normal tap is used or cold water εupply only. The principle of the invention may be carried out in a lavatory pan with a low εiphon or a high-preεsure ciεtern aε well.

Claims: L A I M S 1. Composite WC-bidet lavatory pan, with a built-in piping system,having cold and/or hot water 5 supply εystem, equiped with flow control means, via which water is supplied and ejected from the rim of the lavatory pan inwards, thus extending the uεe of the WC lavatory pan to bidet uεe, characterized in that a built-in piping syεtem (7,9 and 4)iε provided, εaid piping system located at the - | 0 rear internal part of the lavatory pan (l),said built-in system of pipes<7,9 and 4) been deεigned to be connected to outer cold and/or hot water εupply lineε (12,11) and having at leaεt one water outlet nozzle(4) , located at the back of the rim (13) of the lavatory pan (1). ., _- 2. Composite WC-bidet lavatory pan according to claim 1 , characterized in that the built-in piping syεtem extends towards the two rear side partε of the lavatory pan (1 ), where it is connected to the outer cold and/or hot water supply lines (12,11). 20 3* Composite WC-bidet lavatory pan according to claims 1 and 2,characterized in that the built-in piping εyεtem (7,9 and ), surrounds the flushing duct (3), which is lowered downwards. 4. Composite WC-bidet lavatory pan according 2 to claims 1,2 and 3,characterized in that the two side and tranεverεe piping partε are linked by a front part T-εhaped unit (9) and a central outlet nozzle (4)attached to it. 5. Compoεite WC-bidet lavatory pan according to claim 4,characterized in that the central outlet nozzle 30 ( 4 ) is protected by a small projection (5) of the rim of the lavatory pan (1) 6. Compoεite WC-bidet lavatory pan according to any of claims 1 to 4 .characterized in that first and second tape (6,8) are reεpectively located at the two sides 35 of the lavatory pan (l),for controlling supply of cold and hot water. 7. Compoεite WC-bidet lavatory pan according to claim 6,characterized in that in εome caεeε where hot water will not be available at the back wall of the 40 lavatory pan ,a sole tap may be uεed for εupplying only cold water. 8. Compoεite WC-bidet lavatory pan according to claim 7,characterized in that in the caεe of using a lone tap for cold water εupply only, the hot water branch of 45 "t-he piping εystem 7 will be omited. 9. Composite WC-bidet lavatory pan according to any of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that, the two taps ( 8,6 ) for controlling cold and/or hot water may be replaced by a sole mixing device (tap) , located on either side of the 50 lavatory pan, simultaneously controlling cold and hot water εupply (12,11). 10. Compoεite WC-bidet lavatory pan according to any of claims 1 to 9,characterized in that the built-in piping εystem (7,9,4) iε inclined, its front part being 55 lower than its rear part. 11 , Composite WC-bidet lavatory pan according to any of claims 1 to 0, characterized in that the built-in piping syεtem (7,9,4) comprises a central T-εhaped mixing unit (9) , terminating in said water nozzle (4).

Inventors: TRIANDAFILIDIS V IOANNIS, TRIANDAFILIDIS, V., IOANNIS
Applicants: TRIANDAFILIDIS V IOANNIS, TRIANDAFILIDIS, V., IOANNIS
Application year: 1996
Main classification: E03D9
IPC codes: E03D9