Rimless toilet with flush water distribution apparatus

Abstract

A toilet comprising a rimless toilet bowl and a water distribution apparatus arranged in use to communicate water in substantially horizontally opposing directions.

1 . A toilet comprising a rimless toilet bowl and a pair of water inlets arranged in use to direct substantially all of the water flowing into the toilet in substantially horizontally opposing directions around the inner surface of the toilet bowl. 
     
     
         2 . A toilet according to  claim 1 , wherein said toilet bowl includes a circumferentially extending water guide adjacent each water inlet for guiding said water in said substantially horizontally opposing directions around at least a portion of the inner circumference of the bowl. 
     
     
         3 . A toilet as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein each water guide is provided with an upper surface on which the water is supported and carried. 
     
     
         4 . A toilet according to  claim 2  or  claim 3 , wherein each water guide is adapted to allow a portion of said water to flow over an edge thereof to rinse at least a portion of the inner wall below the guide. 
     
     
         5 . A toilet as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein at least a portion of each guide is arranged at an angle to the horizontal such that in use a portion of water flowing on the guide flows inward towards the centre of the bowl. 
     
     
         6 . A toilet according to any of  claims 2  to  5 , wherein each guide comprises a first end proximate an inlet and a second end disposed at a position circumferentially around the bowl, wherein each guide is arranged to taper from a first width at a first end to a second width at a second end. 
     
     
         7 . A toilet as claimed in any of  claims 2  to  6 , wherein the guides are symmetrically arranged around said bowl. 
     
     
         8 . A toilet according to any preceding claim, further comprising a third inlet adapted in use to allow a volume of flushing water which is less than the volume passing through the pair of inlets to rinse a portion of the inner wall below said third inlet. 
     
     
         9 . A toilet according to  claim 8 , wherein the volume of water exiting the third inlet is approximately 6.5% of the water supplied to the toilet for one flushing cycle. 
     
     
         10 . A toilet according to  claim 8  or  9 , wherein the third inlet is located above and between the pair of opposing inlets. 
     
     
         11 . A method for flushing a toilet, said method comprising the steps of providing flushing water to a rimless toilet bowl via a water distribution apparatus comprising two inlets at an inner wall of said toilet bowl; and directing substantially all of said flushing water in first and second substantially horizontally opposing directions around the inner circumference of said toilet bowl so as to collide together at a portion of said inner wall of said bowl located opposite said water distribution apparatus. 
     
     
         12 . A toilet comprising a rimless toilet bowl and a water distribution arrangement arranged to communicate water into the bowl, the bowl further comprising two generally horizontal water guides disposed on the inner surface of said bowl and arranged to receive in use water from a respective flushing water inlet and to communicate water along an upper surface thereof 
     
     
         13 . A system comprising a toilet including a rimless toilet bowl; a water reservoir connected to said toilet for supplying flushing water to said toilet bowl; and a water distribution arrangement adjacent an inner wall of said bowl arranged to receive said flushing water and comprising two bowl inlets arranged in use to direct substantially all of said water in horizontally opposing directions around the inner circumference of the toilet bowl. 
     
     
         14 . A toilet comprising a rimless toilet bowl and a pair of opposing water inlets arranged in use to direct water flowing into the toilet in substantially horizontally opposing directions around the inner surface of the toilet bowl, and further comprising a third water inlet disposed above and between said pair of opposing water inlets and arranged in use to direct a small quantity of water into the bowl at a position above and between the inlets. 
     
     
         15 . A toilet as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the volume of water communicated by the third inlet is less than 10% of the total water volume entering the toilet. 
     
     
         16 . A toilet substantially as described herein with reference to  FIGS. 2 to 8  of the accompanying drawings.