Toilet water saving apparatus linkable with bidet, and water saving method thereof

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a toilet water saving apparatus linkable with a bidet, and a water saving method thereof. The water saving apparatus comprises branch tubes connected to the supply tube for supplying the washing water to the water reservoir and the bidet, respectively, a three-way valve installed to the branch tubes therebetween, and a urination water level sensor and a defecation water level sensor installed inside the water reservoir of the toilet for detecting a urination water level and a defecation water level. The three-way valve has a reservoir valve and a bidet valve for allowing the washing water to be selectively supplied to one or both of the bidet and the water reservoir. The bidet valve of the three-way valve is adapted to be opened or closed by a controller as a bidet button provided at the control pad is operated, and the reservoir valve of the three-way valve is adapted to be opened or closed by the controller according to the operation of a washing button or a supplement button provided at the control pad and according to signals from the urination water level sensor and the defecation water level sensor. The present invention results in prevention of unnecessary and significant consumption of water which is not required to flush urine.

1 . A water saving method for a toilet, which is linkable with a bidet, 
 the toilet comprising:    a water reservoir connected to a certain water supply facility by means of a supply tube for storing a constant volume of washing water required to flush the toilet; and    a toilet seat provided in front of the water reservoir, the bidet comprising:    a washing nozzle and a drying nozzle located below the seat for enabling washing and drying of the genital and posterior parts of the user after urination or defecation; and    a control pad having a plurality of operating buttons,    wherein: in the majority of the time as well as in case of urination, the washing water inside the water reservoir of the toilet is maintained at a urination water level suitable to flush urine, the urination water level being half of a high water level; and    in case of defecation, as a washing button or supplement button provided at the control pad of the bidet is pressed, the washing water inside the water reservoir is maintained at a defecation water level corresponding to the high water level,    whereby the water saving method allows the volume of the washing water to be adjusted according to the type of waste to be disposed, namely, according to whether the waste is urine or excrement.    
   
   
       2 . A water saving apparatus for a toilet, which is linkable with a bidet, 
 the toilet comprising:    a water reservoir connected to a certain water supply facility by means of a supply tube for storing a constant volume of washing water required to flush the toilet; and    a toilet seat provided in front of the water reservoir,    the bidet comprising:    a washing nozzle and a drying nozzle located below the seat for enabling washing and drying of the genital and posterior parts of the user after urination or defecation; and    a control pad having a plurality of operating buttons, and a controller,    wherein the water saving apparatus comprises;    supply means for selectively supplying the washing water to one or both of the water reservoir and the bidet, and allowing the washing water inside the water reservoir to be maintained at a urination water level or a defecation water level; and    sensor means for detecting the levels of the washing water charged inside the water reservoir.    
   
   
       3 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the supply means includes: 
 branch tubes connected to the supply tube for supplying the washing water to the water reservoir and the bidet, respectively; and    a three-way valve installed to the branch tubes therebetween, and having a reservoir valve and a bidet valve for allowing the washing water to be selectively supplied to one or both of the bidet and the water reservoir, and    wherein the sensor means includes:    a urination water level sensor installed inside the water reservoir of the toilet for detecting the urination water level, which is half of a high water level; and    a defecation water level sensor installed inside the water reservoir of the toilet for detecting the defecation water level, which corresponds to the high water level.    
   
   
       4 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the bidet valve of the three-way valve is adapted to be opened or closed by the controller as a bidet button provided at the control pad is operated, and 
 wherein the reservoir valve of the three-way valve is adapted to be opened or closed by the controller according to the operation of a washing button provided at the control pad and according to signals from the urination water level sensor and the defecation water level sensor.    
   
   
       5 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the reservoir valve of the three-way valve is adapted to be opened or closed by the controller according to the operation of a supplement button provided at the control pad and according to signals from the urination water level sensor and the defecation water level sensor.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the supply means includes: 
 a reservoir inlet tube and a bidet inlet tube, which are independently installed to the supply tube for supplying the washing water to the water reservoir and the bidet, respectively; and    a reservoir valve and a bidet valve installed to the reservoir inlet tube and the bidet inlet tube, respectively.    
   
   
       7 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the supply means includes: 
 the supply tube used to supply the washing water to the water reservoir;    a bidet inlet tube connected to the supply tube for supplying the washing water to the bidet, and having a bidet valve;    a hand-operated valve installed on the supply tube between the bidet valve and the water reservoir for allowing the washing water to be charged into the water reservoir even in case of interruption of electric power; and    a bypass tube connected to the supply tube so as to extend around the hand-operated valve, and having a reservoir valve for allowing the washing water to be charged into the water reservoir under normal conditions.    
   
   
       8 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the supply means includes: 
 a three-way pump connected to the supply tube, and having a single inlet, and two outlets; and    a bidet inlet tube and a reservoir inlet tube connected to the outlets of the three-way pump for supplying the washing water to the bidet and the water reservoir, respectively.    
   
   
       9 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the supply means includes: 
 a reservoir inlet tube for supplying the washing water to the water reservoir, the reservoir inlet tube having a reservoir valve, and    wherein the sensor means includes a flow rate sensor installed to the reservoir inlet tube, according to signals from the flow rate sensor, the controller being operated to open or close the reservoir valve, thereby maintaining the washing water inside the water reservoir at the urination water level or defecation water level.    
   
   
       10 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 a seat sensor provided in the seat for detecting whether the user is seated, as the seat sensor detects that the user has been seated for a predetermined time, the controller considers such a state as defecation, and thus opens a reservoir valve so that the washing water is charged into the water reservoir to the defecation water level.    
   
   
       11 . A water saving apparatus for a toilet, 
 the toilet comprising:    a water reservoir connected to a certain water supply facility by means of a supply tube for storing a constant volume of washing water required to flush the toilet; and    a toilet seat provided in front of the water reservoir,    wherein the water saving apparatus comprises;    supply means for supplying the washing water to the water reservoir, and allowing the washing water inside the water reservoir to be maintained at the urination water level or defecation water level;    sensor means for detecting the levels of the washing water charged inside the water reservoir; and    a control pad installed to the toilet.