Venturi source for vacuum asisst flush

Abstract

A toilet includes a water supply input configured to selectively provide water to the toilet, a toilet tank configured to receive water from the water supply input and store the water to flush the toilet, a vacuum chamber at least partially within the toilet tank and connected to a trapway of the toilet, a venturi configured to receive water from the water supply input and provide a negative air pressure to the vacuum chamber, and a fluidic switch configured to selectively connect the water supply input to the venturi.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A toilet comprising:
 a water supply input configured to selectively provide water to the toilet;   a toilet tank configured to receive water from the water supply input and store the water to flush the toilet;   a vacuum chamber at least partially within the toilet tank and connected to a trapway of the toilet;   a venturi configured to receive water from the water supply input and provide a negative air pressure to the vacuum chamber; and   a fluidic switch configured to selectively connect the water supply input to the venturi.   
     
     
         2 . The toilet of  claim 1 , wherein the fluidic switch is configured to selectively connect the water supply input to the toilet tank. 
     
     
         3 . The toilet of  claim 1 , wherein the fluidic switch includes:
 a first branch connected to the toilet tank; and   a second branch connected to the venturi.   
     
     
         4 . The toilet of  claim 3 , wherein the fluidic switch includes:
 a timing chamber connected to the first branch and the second branch.   
     
     
         5 . The toilet of  claim 4 , wherein the timing chamber has a dimension associated with a flush cycle of the toilet. 
     
     
         6 . The toilet of  claim 3 , wherein the fluidic switch includes:
 a first inlet fluidly connected to the first branch and/or the second branch.   
     
     
         7 . The toilet of  claim 1 , wherein the fluidic switch includes:
 a second inlet fluidly connected to a timing chamber.   
     
     
         8 . The toilet of  claim 1 , wherein the fluidic switch includes:
 a diverter configured to switch a passage through the fluidic switch to an outlet to include a first branch or a second branch.   
     
     
         9 . The toilet of  claim 8 , wherein the diverter provides water flow to the first branch during a first time period and to the second branch during a second time period. 
     
     
         10 . The toilet of  claim 9 , wherein the first time period and the second time period correspond to a flush cycle. 
     
     
         11 . The toilet of  claim 1 , wherein the fluidic switch includes a series of fluidic oscillators. 
     
     
         12 . The toilet of  claim 1 , wherein the fluidic switch comprises at least one fluid capacitor. 
     
     
         13 . The toilet of  claim 1 , wherein water is provided from the tank to at least a rim channel to flush the toilet and a falling water level in the tank cooperates with the venturi to provide the negative air pressure to the vacuum chamber. 
     
     
         14 . A toilet comprising:
 a water supply input configured to selectively provide to the toilet;   a toilet tank configured to receive water from the water supply input and store the water to flush the toilet;   a chamber at least partially within the toilet tank and connected to a trapway of the toilet; and   a venturi configured to receive water from the water supply input and provide negative air pressure to the trapway.   
     
     
         15 . The toilet of  claim 14 , wherein water is provided from the toilet tank to at least a rim channel to flush the toilet and a falling water level in the toilet tank cooperates with the venturi to provide the negative air pressure to the trapway. 
     
     
         16 . The toilet of  claim 14 , wherein filling the toilet tank provides positive pressure to the trapway. 
     
     
         17 . The toilet of  claim 16 , wherein a magnitude of the negative pressure from the venturi is greater than a magnitude of the positive pressure from filling the toilet tank. 
     
     
         18 . The toilet of  claim 16 , wherein a net pressure based on the negative pressure from the venturi and the positive pressure from filling the toilet tank causes an air pocket in the trapway. 
     
     
         19 . The toilet of  claim 14 , wherein the trapway comprises:
 an upleg weir for a first water seal; and   a downleg weir for a second water seal.   
     
     
         20 . A method for flushing a toilet, the method comprising:
 releasing water from a toilet tank to a toilet bowl;   providing air pressure to a vacuum chamber from a venturi;   providing air pressure from the vacuum chamber to a trapway; and   deactivating the venturi after a predetermined time period.