Hydraulic Actuator Valve Assembly And Toilet Tank Flush Device Having The Same

Abstract

A toilet tank flush device includes a water feeding tube, a flush valve, a flexible connecting member, and a hydraulic actuator valve assembly. The actuator valve assembly includes a cylinder, a swing rod, a piston rod, and a resilient member. The cylinder includes an inlet portion, and an upright cylinder body formed with a plurality of overflow holes. The swing rod is connected pivotally to the cylinder. The connecting member interconnects the swing rod and the flush valve. The piston rod is movable within the upright cylinder body between first and second positions. When an electromagnetic valve is opened to allow water to be fed from the water feeding tube into the inlet portion, the piston rod is moved from the first position to the second position to pivot the swing rod to thereby open the flush valve. The resilient member biases the piston rod toward the first position.

1 . A hydraulic actuator valve assembly adapted for use with a water feeding tube and an electromagnetic valve, said actuator valve assembly comprising:
 a cylinder including an inlet portion adapted to be connected to the water feeding tube such that water can be fed from the water feeding tube into said inlet portion of said cylinder when electromagnetic valve is opened, an upright cylinder body disposed above and in fluid communication with said inlet portion, and a supporting portion extending from and disposed above said upright cylinder body, said upright cylinder body being formed with a plurality of overflow holes adapted to allow for flow of water out of said upright cylinder body therethrough;   a swing rod having an end connected pivotally to said supporting portion of said cylinder;   a piston rod disposed within said upright cylinder body of said cylinder and having a top end disposed outwardly of said cylinder and in contact with an intermediate portion of said swing rod, said piston rod being movable within said cylinder between first and second positions, the first position being nearer to said inlet portion of said cylinder than the second position, said piston rod being moved from the first position toward the second position when water is fed from the water feeding tube into said inlet portion of said cylinder; and   a resilient member for biasing said piston rod toward the first position.   
   
   
       2 . The actuator valve assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said upright cylinder body of said cylinder includes a lower surrounding wall connected fixedly to said inlet portion, and an upper surrounding wall having an upper end connected fixedly to said supporting portion, and a lower end sleeved on an upper end of said lower surrounding wall, said top end of said piston rod being disposed above said upper surrounding wall. 
   
   
       3 . The actuator valve assembly as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said overflow holes are formed in said lower surrounding wall of said upright cylinder body of said cylinder. 
   
   
       4 . The actuator valve assembly as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said upper surrounding wall of said upright cylinder body of said cylinder is formed with an annular guiding flange disposed around said overflow holes in said lower surrounding wall so as to guide downward flow of the water from said overflow holes in said lower surrounding wall. 
   
   
       5 . The actuator valve assembly as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said piston rod is hollow, and has an open lower end, said inlet portion of said cylinder being disposed under and in fluid communication with said open lower end of said piston rod. 
   
   
       6 . The actuator valve assembly as claimed in  claim 5 , further comprising a piston connected fixedly to a lower end of said piston rod, said cylinder having an annular inner surface, said piston having an outer periphery adjacent to and spaced apart from said annular inner surface of said cylinder. 
   
   
       7 . The actuator valve assembly as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein said top end of said piston rod is dome-shaped. 
   
   
       8 . The actuator valve assembly as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said upper surrounding wall of said upright cylinder body has an annular top wall portion abutting against an upper end surface of said lower surrounding wall, and inner and outer surrounding wall portions extending respectively and downwardly from inner and outer peripheries of said top wall portion, said outer surrounding wall portion having a lower end connected integrally to said guiding flanges. 
   
   
       9 . The actuator valve assembly as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein said outer wall portion of said upper surrounding wall of said upright cylinder body of said cylinder has an annular inner surface in slidable contact with said lower surrounding wall. 
   
   
       10 . The actuator valve assembly as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein each of said lower surrounding wall and said outer surrounding wall portion of said upper surrounding wall is formed with a plurality of angularly equidistant resilient barb portions constituting a barb unit, said barb unit of said lower surrounding wall engaging said barb unit of said outer surrounding wall portion of said upper surrounding wall so as to prevent removal of said upper and lower surrounding walls from each other. 
   
   
       11 . The actuator valve assembly as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein said inner wall portion of said upper surrounding wall of said upright cylinder body of said cylinder is formed with a plurality of axial ribs extending radially and inwardly therefrom and in slidable contact with an annular outer surface of said piston rod. 
   
   
       12 . The actuator valve assembly as claimed in  claim 8 , further comprising a piston connected fixedly to a lower end of said rod body, said resilient member being configured as a coiled compression spring sleeved on said piston rod and disposed between said top wall portion of said upper surrounding wall and said piston. 
   
   
       13 . The actuator valve assembly as claimed in  claim 2 , said lower surrounding wall being adapted to be mounted on a post, said actuator valve assembly further comprising a mounting member, said mounting member including a C-shaped clamp sleeved on said lower surrounding wall of said cylinder and having two clamping arms, and a C-shaped retaining ring, said C-shaped clamp having opposite upper and lower side surfaces, said C-shaped retaining ring including two retaining arms adapted to be sleeved on the post, a nut, and a bolt, each of said retaining arms having an inner end connected integrally to said clamping arms, and an outer end opposite to said inner end and formed with a hole, said bolt extending through said hole in each of said retaining arms and engaging said nut so as to lock said retaining arms on the post, said lower surrounding wall of said cylinder being further formed with a pair of annular upper and lower stop flanges extending radially and outwardly therefrom and abutting respectively against said upper and lower side surfaces of said C-shaped clamp to thereby prevent vertical movement of said lower surrounding wall relative to said C-shaped clamp. 
   
   
       14 . The actuator valve assembly as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein a portion of said lower surrounding wall disposed between said upper and lower stop flanges and within said C-shaped clamp of said mounting member is cylindrical to allow for rotation of said lower surrounding wall relative to said mounting member. 
   
   
       15 . The actuator valve assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said overflow holes in said upright cylinder body of said cylinder are located immediately under said piston rod when said piston rod is disposed in the second position. 
   
   
       16 . A toilet tank flush device comprising:
 a water feeding tube;   an electromagnetic valve disposed at said water feeding tube;   a flush valve;   a flexible connecting member; and   a hydraulic actuator valve assembly including
 a cylinder including an inlet portion connected to said water feeding tube such that water can be fed into said inlet portion of said cylinder from said water feeding tube when said electromagnetic valve is opened, an upright cylinder body disposed above and in fluid communication with said inlet portion, and a supporting portion extending from and disposed above said upright cylinder body, said upright cylinder body being formed with a plurality of overflow holes permitting flow of water out of said upright cylinder body therethrough; 
 a swing rod having a pivot end connected pivotally to said supporting portion of said cylinder, and a free end opposite to said pivot end, said flexible connecting member having two ends fastened respectively to said free end of said swing rod and said flush valve; 
 a piston rod disposed within said upright cylinder body of said cylinder and having a top end disposed outwardly of said cylinder and in contact with an intermediate portion of said swing rod, said piston rod being movable within said cylinder between first and second positions, the first position being nearer to said inlet portion of said cylinder than the second position, said piston rod being moved from the first position toward the second position when water is fed from said water feeding tube into said inlet portion of said cylinder; and 
 a resilient member for biasing said piston rod toward the first position. 
   
   
   
       17 . The toilet tank flush device as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein said upright cylinder body of said cylinder includes a lower surrounding wall connected fixedly to said inlet portion, and an upper surrounding wall having an upper end connected fixedly to said supporting portion, and a lower end sleeved on an upper end of said lower surrounding wall, said top end of said piston rod being disposed above said upper surrounding wall. 
   
   
       18 . The toilet tank flush device as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein said overflow holes are formed in said lower surrounding wall of said upright cylinder body of said cylinder. 
   
   
       19 . The toilet tank flush device as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein said upper surrounding wall of said upright cylinder body of said cylinder is formed with an annular guiding flange disposed around said overflow holes in said lower surrounding wall so as to guide downward flow of the water from said overflow holes in said lower surrounding wall. 
   
   
       20 . The toilet tank flush device as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein said piston rod is hollow, and has an open lower end, said inlet portion of said cylinder being disposed under and in fluid communication with said open lower end of said piston rod. 
   
   
       21 . The toilet tank flush device as claimed in  claim 20 , further comprising a piston connected fixedly to a lower end of said piston rod, said cylinder having an annular inner surface, said piston having an outer periphery adjacent to and spaced apart from said annular inner surface of said cylinder. 
   
   
       22 . The toilet tank flush device as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein said top end of said piston rod is dome-shaped. 
   
   
       23 . The toilet tank flush device as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein said upper surrounding wall of said upright cylinder body has an annular top wall portion abutting against an upper end surface of said lower surrounding wall, and inner and outer surrounding wall portions extending respectively and downwardly from inner and outer peripheries of said top wall portion, said outer surrounding wall portion having a lower end connected integrally to said guiding flanges. 
   
   
       24 . The toilet tank flush device as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein said outer wall portion of said upper surrounding wall of said upright cylinder body of said cylinder has an annular inner surface in slidable contact with said lower surrounding wall. 
   
   
       25 . The toilet tank flush device as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein each of said lower surrounding wall and said outer surrounding wall portion of said upper surrounding wall is formed with a plurality of angularly equidistant resilient barb portions constituting a barb unit, said barb unit of said lower surrounding wall engaging said barb unit of said outer surrounding wall portion of said upper surrounding wall so as to prevent removal of said upper and lower surrounding walls from each other. 
   
   
       26 . The toilet tank flush device as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein said inner wall portion of said upper surrounding wall of said upright cylinder body of said cylinder is formed with a plurality of axial ribs extending radially and inwardly therefrom and in slidable contact with an annular outer surface of said piston rod. 
   
   
       27 . The toilet tank flush device as claimed in  claim 23 , further comprising a piston connected fixedly to a lower end of said rod body, said resilient member being configured as a coiled compression spring sleeved on said piston rod and disposed between said top wall portion of said upper surrounding wall and said piston. 
   
   
       28 . The toilet tank flush device as claimed in  claim 17 , said lower surrounding wall being adapted to be mounted on a post, wherein said toilet tank flush device further includes a mounting member, said mounting member including a C-shaped clamp sleeved on said lower surrounding wall of said cylinder and having two clamping arms, and a C-shaped retaining ring, said C-shaped clamp having opposite upper and lower side surfaces, said C-shaped retaining ring including two retaining arms adapted to be sleeved on the post, a nut, and a bolt, each of said retaining arms having an inner end connected integrally to said clamping arms, and an outer end opposite to said inner end and formed with a hole, said bolt extending through said hole in each of said retaining arms and engaging said nut so as to lock said retaining arms on the post, said lower surrounding wall of said cylinder being further formed with a pair of annular upper and lower stop flanges extending radially and outwardly therefrom and abutting respectively against said upper and lower side surfaces of said C-shaped clamp to thereby prevent vertical movement of said lower surrounding wall relative to said C-shaped clamp. 
   
   
       29 . The toilet tank flush device as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein a portion of said lower surrounding wall disposed between said upper and lower stop flanges and within said C-shaped clamp of said mounting member is cylindrical to allow for rotation of said lower surrounding wall relative to said mounting member. 
   
   
       30 . The toilet tank flush device as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein said overflow holes in said upright cylinder body of said cylinder are located immediately under said piston rod when said piston rod is disposed in the second position.