Patent Publication Number: US-2013227773-A1

Title: Toilet bowl including rotary discharge pipe

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This Application is a Section 371 National Stage Application of International Application No. PCT/KR2011/008457, filed Nov. 8, 2011, the contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates to a toilet having a rotational drain means, and more particularly, to a toilet having a rotational drain means, which has a simple structure to reduce an amount of water used for washing a bowl of the toilet after a user uses the toilet. 
     2. Background Art 
     In general, a toilet includes a seat allowing a user to sit on it, and stores a prescribed amount of water therein and disposes of human waste by using water stored therein. 
     There are several prior arts related with such a toilet. 
     Korean Patent Nos. 10-0479678 and 10-0714959 respectively disclose toilets. 
     Such prior arts adopt a liftable operation system of a variable siphon tube including a bellows bladder and a bellows tube made of rubber, and a tension spring that are applied to a “variable siphon tube discharge system”. 
     In the conventional variable siphon tube discharge system, a variable siphon tube is connected to the rear of a bowl of a toilet by the media of the bellows tube made of rubber. In order to lift or fall the variable siphon tube, the bellow bladder made of rubber, which is expandable and contractable to temporarily store water therein, and the tension spring are provided. 
     The bellows bladder and the tension spring are means to lift and fall the variable siphon tube, and are requisitely mounted to the toilet even though there is the likelihood of system failure due to durability of the bellows bladder, the bellows tube and the tension spring because the variable siphon tube cannot be lifted and fall itself. 
     Because of its structural feature to repeat expansion and contraction, the variable siphon tube discharge system potentially has causes of system failure, and has a problem in that water introduced into the bellows bladder is wasted without being used to effectively clean the bowl because the water is discharged not to the bowl but to the variable siphon tube. 
     DISCLOSURE 
     Technical Problem 
     Accordingly, the present invention has been made in an effort to solve the above-mentioned problems occurring in the prior arts, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a toilet having a rotational drain means, which can drain water (sewage) with sealability just by rotary power using kinetic energy generated while water introduced into a bowl is drained together with sewage through an outlet and by restoring force generated by a balancing structure formed on the outer face of the rotational drain means without using any forceful means, such as a bellows bladder, a bellow tube, a tension spring, and others, that may cause system failures, and which can allow all the water used for cleaning the toilet is drained through the bowl. 
     Technical Solution 
     To achieve the above objects, the present invention provides a toilet having a rotational drain means including: a bowl having a seat on which a user sits; an outlet formed at the rear of the bowl; a drain inducing tube communicating with the outlet and connected to a pipe line buried under the floor to drain water; and a rotational drain means located inside the drain inducing tube, the rotational drain means having an outflow hole and an inflow hole formed at both ends thereof, and a central shaft pin mounted on the other side so that the rotational drain means is rotationally mounted and connected on one side wall of the drain inducing tube, the inflow hole being communicatingly connected with the outlet. 
     The rotational drain means is formed in the Alphabet “L” in such a fashion that the outflow hole is formed at the upper end thereof and the inflow hole is formed at one end thereof, and has a balancing part of a predetermined weight is formed at a lower portion of a bent portion of the “L”-shaped drain tube. 
     A bulkhead is formed on an upper portion of the drain inducing tube and is spaced apart from the outflow hole of the rotational drain means at a predetermined interval. 
     A rise limit block and a fall limit block for limiting a rotational range of the rotational drain means are formed below the bulkhead. 
     A reserve water tank for temporarily storing some of water which is introduced into the bowl is formed above the bulkhead, and a supply tube communicatingly connected with the bowl is formed below the reserve water tank. 
     A connection tube is connected to a bushing hole formed inside the drain inducing tube, an end of the outlet is connected to the connection tube, and a clamp is mounted on the outer face of the connection tube to thereby provide sealability. 
     A preventive membrane is mounted on the portion where the inflow hole of the rotational drain means and the drain inducing tube are connected in order to prevent leakage of water. 
     A groove is formed on the outer circumference of the inflow hole of the rotational drain means, another groove is formed on the outer circumference of the bushing hole of the drain inducing tube, and the preventive membrane is rotatably fit to the groove of the inflow hole and the groove of the bushing hole. 
     Advantageous Effects 
     According to the present invention, the toilet having the rotational drain means is trouble-free because it is operated just by the restoring force by the balancing structure of the rotational drain means and by the rotary power using the kinetic energy generated while water (sewage) is drained from the bowl, and can provide a good cleaning effect because all the water used for cleaning is drained through the bowl of the toilet, and reduce manufacturing costs because its structure is simple. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side sectional view showing a state before an operation of a toilet according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a side sectional view showing a state after the operation of the toilet according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a sectional view of essential parts showing a state before the operation of a toilet according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a sectional view of the essential parts showing a state after the operation of a toilet according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged sectional view of the essential parts of the toilet according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a plan view showing an operational process of the toilet according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF EXPLANATION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS ON ESSENTIAL PARTS IN DRAWINGS   
       
     
       
         
           
               
               
               
             
               
                   
                   
               
             
            
               
                   
                 11: bowl 
                 12: outlet 
               
               
                   
                 13: connection tube 
                 100: drain system 
               
               
                   
                 101: rotational drain means 
                 101-1: outflow hole 
               
               
                   
                 101-2: inflow hole 
               
               
                   
                 102: balancing part 
                 103: shaft mounting port 
               
               
                   
                 104: central shaft pin 
                 105: preventive membrane 
               
               
                   
                 200: drain inducing tube 
                 210: reserve water tank 
               
               
                   
                 220: bulkhead 
                 230: rise limit block 
               
               
                   
                 230-1: fall limit block 
                 240: bulwark 
               
               
                   
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     Mode For Invention 
     Reference will be now made in detail to a toilet having a rotational drain means of the present invention with reference to the attached drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a side sectional view showing a state before an operation of a toilet according to the present invention,  FIG. 2  is a side sectional view showing a state after the operation of the toilet according to the present invention,  FIG. 3  is a sectional view of essential parts showing a state before the operation of a toilet according to the present invention,  FIG. 4  is a sectional view of the essential parts showing a state after the operation of a toilet according to the present invention,  FIG. 5  is an enlarged sectional view of the essential parts of the toilet according to the present invention, and  FIG. 6  is a plan view showing an operational process of the toilet according to the present invention. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 to 6 , the toilet  10  according to the present invention includes: a bowl  11  having a seat on which a user sits; an outlet  12  formed at the rear of the bowl  11 ; a drain inducing tube  200  communicating with the outlet  12  and connected to a pipe line buried under the floor to drain water; and a rotational drain means  101  located inside the drain inducing tube  200 , the rotational drain means  101  having an outflow hole  101 - 1  formed in an upper end thereof, an inflow hole  101 - 2  formed in one end thereof in such a fashion that the inflow hole  101 - 2  is communicatingly connected with the outlet  12 , and a central shaft pin  104  mounted on the other side so that the rotational drain means  101  is rotationally mounted and connected on one side wall of the drain inducing tube  200 . 
     A connection tube  13  made of stainless steel or resin is fit to the outlet  12  formed at the rear of the bowl  11  of the toilet  10  and is fixed with a clamp  14 , and then, an inlet  15  is perforated at a proper position of the rear of the bowl  11 . 
     As described above, a drain system  100  having the rotational drain means  101  is formed at the rear of the bowl  11 . 
     The rotational drain means  101  is formed in the Alphabet “L”. A shaft-mounted part  103  is protrudingly formed on an outer face of an “L”-shaped bend in a straight line from the center of the caliber of the inflow hole  101 - 2  which will be connected to the connection tube  13  of the bowl  11 , and the central shaft pin  104  is inserted into a shaft hole  103 - 1  perforated at the center to a predetermined depth. 
     A groove  105 - 1  is formed in a predetermined portion of the outer circumference of the inflow hole  101 - 2 , and a balancing part  102  is protrudingly formed on an outer face of the opposite side of the outflow hole  101 - 1  relative to the central shaft pin  104 . 
     The balancing part  102  has weight enough to keep a state that the outflow hole  101 - 1  faces upwards when the rotational drain means  101  is connected to the connection tube  13  of the bowl  11  and the bowl  11  is filled with water for sealability. 
     That is, it is set that the balancing part  102  has a sufficient weight to prevent the rotational drain means  101  with sealability from being rotated before water is introduced into the bowl at once to clean the bowl  11 . 
     In the meantime, the rotational drain means  101 , which is located at the rear of the bowl  11  of the toilet  10  and will be connected to the connection tube  13 , is rotatably mounted inside the drain inducing tube  200 , and the drain inducing tube  200  induces water (sewage) discharged from the bowl  11  to the pipeline  20  buried under the floor. 
     The drain inducing tube  200  includes: a flange  200 - 1  formed at a proper position and having a round-shaped lower portion which is as large as it can be connected to the pipeline  20  buried under the floor; and a cone-shaped inducing ring  200 - 2  formed on the flange  200 - 1 . A distance ranging from the bottom of the flange  200 - 1  to the bottom surface of a rim  10 - 1  of the bowl  11  corresponds to a height of the drain inducing tube  200 . A reserve water tank inlet  210 - 1  is formed at a portion of the upper end of the drain inducing tube  200 , which gets in contact with the rim  10 - 1  of the bowl  11 , corresponding to a rim hole  10 - 2  of the rim  10 - 1 , and a bulkhead  220  is formed and spaced apart from the reserve water tank inlet  210 - 1  at a predetermined interval to divide the drain inducing tube  200 , so that a reserve water tank  210  is arranged in an upper space of the bulkhead  220 . A supply tube  210 - 2  is additionally mounted below the reserve water tank  210  in a direction of the bowl  11 . 
     The bulkhead  220  is provided to prevent a flick of water (sewage) discharged from the rotational drain means  101  and to help rotation of the rotational drain means  101  because the discharged water (sewage) is bumped against the bulkhead  220 . 
     The drain inducing tube  200  further includes a bushing hole  200 - 3  formed in one side thereof so that the rotational drain means  101  can be introduced and rotated in the bushing hole  200 - 3 . A protrusion having a predetermined width and a predetermined height is formed on the face of the drain inducing tube  200  around the bushing hole  200 - 3  and a groove  105 - 2  is formed on the outer circumference of the protrusion. 
     Below the bulkhead  220  which will be located above the drain inducing tube  200 , a rise limit block  230  and a fall limit block  230 - 1 , which will be described later, are respectively formed at proper locations. 
     The entire of the opposite side of the bushing hole  200 - 3  formed in the drain inducing tube  200  is removed, so that a space  200 - 5  to which a bulwark  240  is integrally fit is formed. 
     The bulwark  240  is fit to the space  200 - 5  and includes: a shaft mounting portion  240 - 2  formed in such a fashion that a certain portion of the inner and outer faces to which the central shaft pin  104  of the rotational drain means  101  is located is protruded convexly; and a shaft hole  240 - 1  formed from the inner face to a predetermined depth in such a fashion that the central shaft pin  104  can be inserted thereinto. 
     The rotational drain means  101  is arranged at the other side of bulwark  240  and is combined with the other end of the rotational drain means  101  by means of the central shaft pin  104 . 
     An end of the rotational drain means  101  is rotatably fit to the bushing hole  200 - 3  in such a way as not to be fixed and not to be separated and has sealability. 
     In order to keep stability of the rotational drain means  101 , the rotational drain means  101  requires durability, and for this, it is preferable that the rotational drain means  101  is made of a resin material. 
     One side of a preventive membrane  105  for preventing leakage of water is fit and fixed to the groove  105 - 1  formed around the inflow hole  101 - 2  of the rotational drain means  101 , and then, the other side of the preventive membrane  105  is forcedly fit while the inflow hole  101 - 2  of the rotational drain means  101  is connected to the bushing hole  200 - 3  of the drain inducing tube  200 . 
     Preferably, the preventive membrane  105  is made of rubber or resin that has good flexibility and durability. 
     Because a rotational range of the rotational drain means  101  does not exceed 90° and water pressure does not act, there is no influence on the lifespan of the preventive membrane  105 . 
     Moreover, the preventive membrane  105  gets twisted according to the rotation of the rotational drain means  101 , and hence, the preventive membrane  105  must have volume and flexibility enough to have no effect on the rotation. 
     After the rotational drain means  101  is seated on the bushing hole  200 - 3  of the drain inducing tube  200 , the bulwark  240  is fit and fixed integrally to the space  200 - 5  of the drain inducing tube  200  so that the central shaft pin  104  of the rotational drain means  101  is inserted into the shaft hole  240 - 1  of the bulwark  240 . 
     The drain inducing tube  200  gets near to the connection tube  13  at rear of the bowl  11 , so that the outer face around the bushing hole  200 - 3  gets in contact with and is fixed to a bonding portion  13 - 1  of the connection tube  13 . 
     Furthermore, the upper end surface of the reserve water tank  210  above the drain inducing tube  200  is also closely fixed to the bottom surface of the rim  10 - 1 . 
     Additionally, the supply tube  210 - 2  of the reserve water tank  210  is connected to the inlet  15  of the bowl  11 . 
     As described above, the drain system  100  having the rotational drain means  101  is disposed at the rear of the bowl  11 . 
     A drain process of water stored in the toilet  10  according to the present invention will be described as follows. 
     Before operation, as shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  3  and  6 (A), in the toilet  10 , the outlet  12  of the bowl  11  is joined with the rotational drain means  101  in order to keep sealability. 
     After a user uses the toilet, when a lid  10 - 4  of a water tank  10 - 3  is opened, as shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  4  and  6 (B), water is introduced into the bowl  11  and the reserve water tank  210  through the rim  10 - 1 . The water introduced into the bowl  11  is drained through the outflow hole  101 - 1  after passing through the outlet  12  and the inflow hole  101 - 2  together with sewage inside the bowl  11 , and in this instance, by means of kinetic energy, the rotational drain means  101  is rotated in a direction that water is drained. 
     The above operation is possible because the rotational drain means  101  is inclined to one side relative to the central shaft pin  104  due to the balancing part  102  of the rotational drain means  101  and the rise limit block  230 . 
     Moreover, reaction generated while water (sewage) drained through the outflow hole  101 - 1  is bumped against the bulkhead  220  also helps the rotation of the rotational drain means  101 . 
     As described above, the rotational drain means  101 , which is rotated in the inclined direction by the kinetic energy generated when water (sewage) is drained, stops the rotation by the fall limit block  230 - 1 , and in this condition, water (sewage) is drained. When a volume of drained water is reduced, the rotational drain means  101  is rotated in the opposite direction by means of weight of the balancing part  102  to be returned to its original position. 
     While the rotational drain means  101  is returned, because water contained in the reserve water tank  210  is continuously introduced into the bowl  11  through the supply tube  210 - 2 , the outlet  12  of the bowl  11  and the rotational drain means  101  are filled with water, and hence, the rotational drain means  101  has sealability to thereby prevent a back flow of bad smells inside the pipeline. 
     While the present invention has been described with reference to the particular illustrative embodiment, it is not to be restricted by the embodiments but only by the appended claims. It will be understood that the exemplary embodiment of the present invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the claims of the present invention.