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EP-4095322-B1 - DRAIN VALVE

EP4095322B1EP 4095322 B1EP4095322 B1EP 4095322B1EP-4095322-B1

Inventors

  • CHEN, Youpeng
  • HUANG, CONGXIAN
  • LIU, Shutuan
  • ZANG, Yunqing

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20220519

Claims (11)

  1. A kit of parts comprising: a drain valve, comprising: a valve body (1); a valve seat (2) mounted below the valve body (1); and an overflow pipe (3) located in the valve body (1) and configured to move up and down relative to the valve body (1), wherein the valve seat (2) comprises a drainage channel (21), wherein the overflow pipe (3) comprises a blocking element (4) and a flow rate regulator (5) below the blocking element (4), wherein the overflow pipe (3) is configured to be in an initial state or a raised state and configured to be switched between the initial state and the raised state, wherein when the overflow pipe (3) is in the initial state, the blocking element (4) seals a channel water inlet (211) of the drainage channel (21), and the flow rate regulator (5) is located in the drainage channel (21), wherein when the overflow pipe (3) is in the raised state, the blocking element leaves the channel water inlet (211), the flow rate regulator (5) is partially or completely located above the channel water inlet (211), and a water flow channel (20) is formed between the flow rate regulator (5) and the channel water inlet (211), wherein the flow rate regulator (5) is replaceable by a different model as required to meet a user's demand for a drainage speed; and a set of different models of flow regulators (5)
  2. The kit of parts according to claim 1, wherein a connector (6) is disposed at a lower end of the overflow pipe (3), and wherein the flow rate regulator (5) is clamped with the connector (6).
  3. The kit of parts according to claim 2, wherein the connector (6) comprises a clamping groove (61), wherein the flow rate regulator (5) comprises a clamping claw (53), and wherein the clamping claw (53) is clamped with the clamping groove (61).
  4. The kit of parts according to claim 3, wherein the clamping groove (61) is an annular clamping groove, wherein a plurality of clamping claws (53) are arranged on the flow rate regulator (5) at intervals along a circumferential direction of the flow rate regulator (5), and wherein each of the plurality of clamping claws (53) is clamped with the annular clamping groove.
  5. The kit of parts according to claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the flow rate regulator (5) comprises an outer ring portion (51) and an inner ring portion (52) connected to the outer ring portion (51), wherein the clamping claw (53) is arranged on the inner ring portion (52), and wherein when the overflow pipe (3) is in the raised state, the water flow channel (20) is formed between the outer ring portion (51) and the channel water inlet (211).
  6. The kit of parts according to claim 5, wherein a top surface of the outer ring portion (51) is higher than a top surface of the clamping claw (53), and wherein the top surface of the outer ring portion (51) is contacted with a bottom portion of the overflow pipe (3).
  7. The kit of partsaccording to claim 6, wherein a top portion of the outer ring portion (51) is higher than a top portion of the inner ring portion (52), wherein a bottom portion of the outer ring portion (51) is connected to a bottom portion of the inner ring portion (52), and wherein the clamping claw (53) is integrally arranged at the top portion of the inner ring portion (52).
  8. The kit of parts according to claim 5, claim 6, or claim 7, wherein the water flow channel (20) determines an amount of water entering the drainage channel (21) from the channel water inlet (211) in unit time, and wherein a size of the water flow channel (20) is defined by a size, a shape, or a contour of the outer ring portion (51).
  9. The kit of parts according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein one or more of the following applies: (i) the flow rate regulator (5) is a rubber element; (ii) the blocking element (4) is a rubber gasket; and/or (iii) a sealing ring is arranged in the drainage channel (21).
  10. The kit of parts according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the different models of flow rate regulators (5) have different radii and heights.
  11. A method for controlling water to drain from a water tank by using a kit of parts according to any one of the preceding claims, the method comprising: selecting a flow rate regulator model according to a demand for a drainage speed; connecting the selected flow rate regulator to an overflow pipe of the drain valve; setting, by a processor, the overflow pipe in an initial state by driving the overflow pipe to move down relative to a valve body of the drain valve so that a blocking element of the drain valve seals a channel water inlet of a drainage channel of the drain valve; determining, by the processor, whether to open the drainage channel; and when determining that the drainage channel should be opened, switching, by the processor, the overflow pipe from the initial state to a raised state so that the blocking element leaves the channel water inlet, the selected flow rate regulator is partially or completely located above the channel water inlet, and a water flow channel is formed between the selected flow rate regulator and the channel water inlet.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims the benefit of priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202121137590.4 filed in the Chinese Intellectual Property Office on May 25, 2021 and US Patent Application No. 17/747,258 filed on May 18, 2022. FIELD The present disclosure relates to the technical field of water tank of toilet, and more particularly, to a drain valve. BACKGROUND A drain valve is mounted in a water tank of a toilet. An overflow pipe is arranged in the drain valve, and the overflow pipe can be lifted or lowered to open or close a drainage channel in a valve seat. When the drain valve is opened, a predetermined amount of water may be drained from the water tank to meet a requirement of flushing the toilet. A spraying orifice in the toilet is fixed. If a drainage speed of the drain valve is fast, a flow rate of water sprayed by the toilet is also fast, thus a good flushing effect can be obtained. On the contrary, if the drainage speed of the drain valve is slow, the flow rate of water sprayed by the toilet is also slow, thus the flushing effect is poor. In the prior art, the drainage speed of the drain valve cannot be regulated, and if a user needs to regulate the drainage speed, the user needs to replace different models of drain valves. EP3128089A1 discloses a cistern arrangement for rinsing sanitary ware comprising a water tank for receiving flushing water and a drain valve with a valve closure part which in a closed position seals a bottom opening watertight and in an open position is lifted from a valve seat and reveals the bottom opening, with a defined amount of flushing water flowing out of the water tank through the bottom opening in the open position. EP1854926A1 discloses a fitting for a flushing cistern. The fitting has a valve seat arranged in direction of flow before a discharge opening. A sealing element of an overflow pipe can be moved upwards away from a valve seat to trigger flush. A separating nozzle is arranged below the sealing element. SUMMARY The present disclosure aims to provide a drain valve, in which a flow rate regulator is arranged at a lower end of an overflow pipe to define a water flow channel allowing a water flow to pass through between the flow rate regulator and a channel water inlet. Thus, an amount of water entering a drainage channel from the channel water inlet in unit time can be defined, and thus a drainage rate can be controlled. The present invention provides a kit of parts according to claim 1. The technical solution of the present disclosure provides a drain valve, comprising a valve body, a valve seat mounted below the valve body, and an overflow pipe located in the valve body and capable of moving up and down. The valve seat is provided with a drainage channel, the overflow pipe is provided with a blocking element, and the overflow pipe is also provided with a flow rate regulator below the blocking element. The overflow pipe has an initial state and a raised state and is capable of switching a state between the initial state and the raised state. When the overflow pipe is in the initial state, the blocking element seals a channel water inlet of the drainage channel, and the flow rate regulator is located in the drainage channel. When the overflow pipe is in the raised state, the blocking element leaves the channel water inlet, the flow rate regulator is at least partially or completely located above the channel water inlet, and a water flow channel is formed between the flow rate regulator and the channel water inlet. In an embodiment, a lower end of the overflow pipe is provided with a connector, and the flow rate regulator is clamped with the connector. In an embodiment, the connector is provided with a clamping groove, the flow rate regulator is provided with a clamping claw, and the clamping claw is clamped with the clamping groove. In one embodiment, the clamping groove is an annular clamping groove, a plurality of clamping claws are arranged on the flow rate regulator at intervals along a circumferential direction, and each clamping claw is clamped with the annular clamping groove. In an embodiment, the flow rate regulator comprises an outer ring portion and an inner ring portion connected to the outer ring portion, and the clamping claw is arranged on the inner ring portion; When the overflow pipe is in the raised state, the water flow channel is formed between the outer ring portion and the water inlet of the channel. In one embodiment, a top surface of the outer ring portion is higher than a top surface of the clamping claw, and the top surface of the outer ring portion is contacted with a bottom portion of the overflow pipe. In one embodiment, the flow rate regulator is a rubber part Ine one embodiment the blocking element is a rubber gasket. In one embodiment, a sealing ring is arranged in the drainage channel. In one embodiment, the flow rate regulator comprises a plurality of replacement parts. By adopting the abo