Roboflush

[Radian]

I thought some of you might be entertained by something I made earlier.

 

Back in 2015 the original flush valve in our downstairs loo packed up so I replaced with a cable operated one. Unfortunately the push button it came with wouldn't fit in the recess on the side of the cistern so I was faced with a dilemma over how to operate the Bowden cable release that was left dangling down the side of the loo. Inspiration soon came from a visit to a restaurant with a non-contact hand-wash basin tap. This inspired me to design a non-contact electric drive for the new valve. This involved a stepper motor rescued from an old inkjet printer, an adapted controller prototype from a TV show that I'd been commissioned to design and some 3D printed parts. One of these houses a pulsed IR source & sensor in a module that fits where the original flush paddle sat. It's been working reliably ever since - except for the 3D printed parts (PLA) that have slowly been delaminating. Several emergency bodge repairs with odd bits of plastic and hot-melt glue later, I finally got around to redesigning and printing a new integrated bracket today.

 

Old parts dismantled (that's rust not 💩😞

 

 

New assembly (printed in green) connected up to bowden release mechanism in situ:

 

 

Here's hoping we get at least another 8 years out of it!

[Big Jimbo]

Bloody love that. Fair play, you smart cookie.

[ETC]

Dragon’s Den here you come!
 

Get IPR sorted asap.

[Radian]

It's more like a case of 'when you've got a hammer, every problem looks like a nail'.

If I'd been smarter, I would have just redesigned a mechanical paddle to replace the original that had a hook to lift the syphon. 😆