Cistern assembly

Abstract

The current invention is directed to a cistern assembly for a flush toilet where the cistern assembly includes a cistern housing including a cistern lid and a cistern base, a cistern member pivotally attached within the cistern housing, and an actuator means associated with the cistern member to pivot the cistern member relative to the cistern housing to discharge the stored water. The cistern member has a base wall that forms a chamber to store the water and a passageway to discharge the water from the chamber, the passageway has an internal inlet and a cistern outlet and is shaped to siphon water through the passageway. The internal inlet is positioned substantially on or adjacent to the pivot vertical axis of the cistern member when the cistern member is in one of the pivoted positions. The actuator means can tilt the cistern member to actuate discharge of water through the passageway so that when the cistern member is pivoted and the passageway is moved below the water level of the stored water of the chamber, the water is drawn through the passageway to the cistern outlet until air within the chamber enters the passageway preventing further water from being drawn into the passageway.

1 .- 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A cistern assembly for a flush toilet comprising:
 a cistern housing;   a cistern member pivotally attached within the cistern housing, the cistern member having a front wall and a back wall spaced apart by a base wall, the base wall and the front and back wall forming a chamber to store water and having a passageway to discharge water from the chamber;   the cistern member having a flat or convex portion that is inwardly disposed and reduces the volume within the chamber, said flat or convex portion being symmetrical about the vertical axis of the cistern member when the cistern member is in the upright position;   the passageway having an internal inlet and a cistern outlet and being shaped to siphon water through the passageway;   the internal inlet being positioned on or adjacent to the pivot vertical axis of the cistern member when the cistern member is in the pivoted position; and   an actuator associated with the cistern member to pivot the cistern member relative to the cistern housing,   wherein when the cistern member is pivoted and the passageway is moved below the water level of the stored water of the chamber, the water is drawn through the passageway to the cistern outlet until air within the chamber enters the passageway preventing further water from being drawn into the passageway.   
     
     
         15 . The cistern assembly as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the position of the flat or convex portion, that is inwardly disposed and reduces the volume within the chamber, causes a center of gravity of the stored water mass to move towards the passageway and the internal inlet when the cistern member is pivoted. 
     
     
         16 . The cistern assembly as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the position of the flat or convex portion, that is inwardly disposed and reduces the volume within the chamber, is below the pivot point of the cistern member and is located symmetrically about the vertical axis when the cistern member is in an upright position. 
     
     
         17 . The cistern assembly as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the flat or convex portion, that is inwardly disposed and reduces the volume within the chamber, is part of the base wall and is located symmetrically about the vertical axis when the cistern member is in an upright position. 
     
     
         18 . The cistern assembly as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the flat or convex portion, that is inwardly disposed and reduces the volume within the chamber, is part of the front wall or the back wall and is located symmetrically about the vertical axis when the cistern member is in an upright position. 
     
     
         19 . The cistern assembly as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the flat or convex portion, that is inwardly disposed and reduces the volume within the chamber, is a wedged-shaped part of the front or back wall with the base of the wedged-shaped part adjacent the base wall and is located symmetrically about the vertical axis when the cistern member is in an upright position.