FLUSH VALVE STRUCTURE FOR A TOILET TANK
A toilet tank flush valve structure, for use with a toilet tank having a floor formed with an opening, includes a base for installation in the opening formed in the floor of the toilet tank. The base defines a water outflow passage having an upper end at which the passage has an area A1 and a lower end at which the passage has an area A2 and includes a valve seat at the upper end of the water outflow passage. A flush valve is movable relative to the base between a sealing position in which the valve engages the valve seat in sealing relationship and a flushing position in which the valve is spaced upwardly from the valve seat. The area A1 is substantially greater than the area A2.
This invention relates to a flush valve structure for a toilet tank.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,484,327, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein for all purposes, discloses a flush valve structure for a toilet tank equipped with a spud by which the tank is connected in substantially fluid tight manner to an outlet tube that discharges into a toilet bowl.
In the valve shown in the prior patent, the seal is circular and the inner diameter of the seal is almost the same as the inner diameter of the outflow tube.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccording to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a toilet tank flush valve structure, for use with a toilet tank having a floor formed with an opening, the flush valve structure comprising a base for installation in the opening formed in the floor of the toilet tank, the base defining a water outflow passage having an upper end at which the passage has an area A1 and a lower end at which the passage has an area A2 and including a valve seat at the upper end of the water outflow passage, and a flush valve that is movable relative to the base between a sealing position in which the valve engages the valve seat in sealing relationship and a flushing position in which the valve is spaced upwardly from the valve seat, and wherein the area A1 is substantially greater than the area A2.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a toilet tank structure comprising a toilet tank having a floor formed with an opening, a flush valve base for installation in the opening in the floor of the toilet tank, the floor of the toilet tank being also formed with a valve seat that surrounds the flush valve base and defines an inlet end of a water outflow passage, the inlet end of the water outflow passage having an area A1 and the base having an outlet opening of area A2, and a flush valve that is movable relative to the base between a sealing position in which the valve engages the valve seat in sealing relationship and a flushing position in which the valve is spaced upwardly from the valve seat, and wherein the area A1 is substantially greater than the area A2.
For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which:
In the several figures of the drawings, reference numerals having like combinations of less significant digits designate like or equivalent elements.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONA guide 134 is attached to the valve base 114 and extends vertically upward therefrom. A dual volume flush valve assembly 138 is fitted slidably over the guide and includes a high volume flush valve 142 and a low volume flush valve 146. The high volume flush valve comprises a float 150, a flexible annular gasket 154 below the float, and an upwardly flaring frusto-conical extension 158 above the float. A circular valve seat 160 is attached to or integrally formed with the extension 158 and has a generally triangular radial section. An upper outflow tube 162 extends downward from the extension 158. The low volume flush valve 146 rests on the high volume flush valve 142 and includes a float 162 and a flexible gasket 166 below the float. Normally, the seat 130 seals against the gasket 154 and the seat 160 seals against the gasket 166. The two valves are connected to an actuating mechanism (not shown), such as one or more handles, which may be operated to lift either the low volume valve 146 from the high volume valve 142, or the high volume valve 142 from the base while the low volume valve 146 rests on the high volume valve.
It will be seen from
The frusto-conical interior surface of the extension 128 results in the cross-sectional area of the flow passage from the seat 130 to the outflow tube 126 decreasing smoothly from the circular rim of the seat to the entrance to the outflow tube.
In addition,
The upper outflow tube 262 of the high volume valve extends downward into the extension 228 and almost engages the interior surface of the extension. A small clearance remains in order to prevent interference with functioning of the valve. The downward extension of the upper outflow tube ensures that when the low volume valve is lifted, and water flows downward through the upper outflow tube 262, it is channeled vertically downward into the outflow tube 226.
A sixth embodiment of the invention is illustrated in
The flush valve assemblies shown in
An eighth embodiment of the invention is illustrated in
The ninth embodiment of the invention, shown in
It will be appreciated that the invention is not restricted to the particular embodiment that has been described, and that variations may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims, as interpreted in accordance with principles of prevailing law, including the doctrine of equivalents or any other principle that enlarges the enforceable scope of the claims beyond the literal scope. Unless the context indicates otherwise, a reference in a claim to the number of instances of an element, be it a reference to one instance or more than one instance, requires at least the stated number of instances of the element but is not intended to exclude from the scope of the claim a structure or method having more instances of that element than stated.
Claims
1. A toilet tank flush valve structure, for use with a toilet tank having a floor formed with an opening, the flush valve structure comprising:
- a base for installation in the opening formed in the floor of the toilet tank, the base defining a water outflow passage having an upper end at which the passage has an area A1 and a lower end at which the passage has an area A2 and including a valve seat at the upper end of the water outflow passage, and
- a flush valve that is movable relative to the base between a sealing position in which the valve engages the valve seat in sealing relationship and a flushing position in which the valve is spaced upwardly from the valve seat,
- and wherein the area A1 is substantially greater than the area A2.
2. A flush valve structure according to claim 1, wherein the opening bounded by the valve seat is circular and the opening bounded by the lower end of the base is circular and the opening having the area A1 has a diameter that is at least 1.3 times the opening having the area A2.
3. A flush valve structure according to claim 2, wherein the opening having the area A1 has a diameter at least 1.5 times the diameter of the opening having the area A2.
4. A flush valve structure according to claim 1, wherein the area of the water outflow passages decreases smoothly from the upper end to the lower end.
5. A flush valve structure according to claim 1, wherein the flush valve is a column valve that moves relative to the base by vertical displacement of the flush valve.
6. A flush valve structure according to claim 1, wherein the flush valve is a flapper valve that moves pivotally relative to the base about a horizontal axis.
7. A flush valve structure according to claim 5, wherein the flush valve is a dual volume flush valve assembly.
8. A flush valve structure according to claim 7, wherein the base includes a frusto-conical extension that flares upwardly and the flush valve includes an upper outflow tube that extends downward into the frusto-conical extension.
9. A flush valve structure according to claim 8, wherein the upper outflow tube defines an interior passage that decreases in cross-sectional area in a downward direction.
10. A flush valve structure according to claim 1, wherein the flush valve is a single volume flush valve.
11. A flush valve structure according to claim 1, wherein the base includes an offset structure for positioning the upper end of the water outflow passage horizontally offset from the opening formed in the floor of the toilet tank.
12. A flush valve structure according to claim 11, wherein the offset structure is an S-shaped tube.
13. A flush valve structure according to claim 11, wherein the offset structure is a skewed frusto-conical extension that flares upwardly.
14. A toilet tank structure comprising:
- a toilet tank having a floor formed with an opening,
- a flush valve base for installation in the opening in the floor of the toilet tank, the floor of the toilet tank being also formed with a valve seat that surrounds the flush valve base and defines an inlet end of a water outflow passage, the inlet end of the water outflow passage having an area A1 and the base having an outlet opening of area A2, and
- a flush valve that is movable relative to the base between a sealing position in which the valve engages the valve seat in sealing relationship and a flushing position in which the valve is spaced upwardly from the valve seat,
- and wherein the area A1 is substantially greater than the area A2.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 10, 2007
Publication Date: Jan 15, 2009
Inventor: Douglas P. Hand (Lake Oswego, OR)
Application Number: 11/775,433
International Classification: E03D 1/00 (20060101);