Float-controlled Valve Patents (Class 4/331)
  • Patent number: 10865553
    Abstract: Toilet flushing systems installed in a toilet reservoir. A toilet reservoir stores a fluid that pours into a toilet bowl for carrying waste away from a toilet. Exemplary toilet flushing systems may include a flush sleeve having a sleeve bottom and sleeve top. The exemplary sleeve bottom may connect to a bottom of the toilet reservoir around a reservoir drain. The flush sleeve may be capable of being raised in a raised orientation such that the sleeve top is above the fluid in the toilet reservoir to prevent the fluid from entering the reservoir drain. Exemplary toilet flushing systems may include a flush sleeve actuator that lowers the sleeve top of the flush sleeve below a fluid level in the toilet reservoir to allow the fluid to flow through the flush sleeve into the reservoir drain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Inventors: Richard Corey Breed, Kurt Herloff Petersen
  • Patent number: 10443223
    Abstract: A flush toilet includes a body including a body inner wall forming the majority of the bowl surface of a bowl and a connecting portion connecting this outside wall and body inner wall; a rim including a rim inner wall forming a portion of the bowl surface, joined to the top end of the body; and a rim spout portion spouting flush water into the bowl. This rim spout portion respectively forms a rim conduit formed by joining a body and a rim, and a rim spout port; the joining surface between the body inner wall forming the rim conduit and the rim inner wall is set to a lower position from the rear side of the bowl toward the front; and the bottom surface of the rim conduit is set to a lower position from the upstream end toward the downstream end of the rim conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: TOTO LTD.
    Inventors: Shu Kashirajima, Masaaki Momoe, Yuuki Shinohara
  • Patent number: 10190303
    Abstract: A toilet having an outlet trapway that is movable during a flushing cycle includes a toilet bowl having an opening adjacent its lower end and a conduit linked to the opening so as to be able to swivel between a first upwardly directed position which forms a trap for the toilet, and a second less upwardly directed position which can be reached during the flushing cycle to facilitate evacuation of the toilet bowl. The toilet further includes an actuator that moves the conduit between the first and second positions during the flushing cycle in response to a condition of a water supply for the toilet. The water supply comprises a water tank, and the condition of the water supply is a level of water in the water tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: KOHLER CO.
    Inventor: Mukerji Sudip
  • Patent number: 9783970
    Abstract: Problem: To provide a discharge valve apparatus able to be disposed on a flush toilet with a relatively low silhouette by shortening the length of the valve body main shaft and lowering the height of the discharge valve apparatus. Solution Means: A discharge valve apparatus having: a small-flush float mechanism and a large-flush float mechanism; wherein the valve body main shaft includes a single shared projecting portion which locks to the large-flush cam lock portion when the required amount of pull-up for the large-flush mode has been pulled up, and locks to the small-flush cam lock portion when the amount of pull-up required for the small-flush mode has been pulled up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: TOTO LTD.
    Inventors: Koki Shinohara, Hideki Tanimoto, Yukinori Kubozono
  • Patent number: 9650771
    Abstract: A flush water volume regulator is provided, capable of canceling the buoyancy force acting on a water reservoir, wherein flush water in the water reservoir can be circulated with flush water in a flush water tank outside the water reservoir. The flush water volume regulator of the present invention has a water reservoir capable of holding a predetermined amount of flush water, having a water reservoir in which an opening is formed through which flush water inside water reservoir and flush water outside water reservoir can flow, and a float prevention means for causing a force to act on water reservoir in the opposite direction to the buoyancy force produced by flush water on water reservoir in flush water tank when water supply apparatus is supplying water into flush water tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: TOTO LTD.
    Inventors: Koki Shinohara, Hideki Tanimoto
  • Patent number: 9228335
    Abstract: A toilet including: a toilet pan having an interior and a flushing outlet; a toilet cistern having an interior; a cistern overflow pipe in communication with the toilet-pan interior; a collar for connecting the flushing outlet to a sewer discharge pipe, the collar having a passage through it with exterior and interior ends; a fan within the cistern interior and having a fan inlet and a fan outlet; and a duct for gas communication from the fan outlet to the passage exterior end, the fan adapted to draw gas from within the toilet-pan interior through the overflow pipe and then propel it into the duct, through the passage and into the sewer discharge pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Inventor: Geoffrey Charles Quick
  • Patent number: 8881319
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for external float extensions. In one embodiment, an external float extension includes an external adjustment rod configured to affix to a quick flush float of a dual flush assembly and an external float configured to be positioned on the external adjustment rod. In another embodiment, a dual flush assembly includes a quick flush float, an external adjustment rod affixed to the quick flush float, and an external float positioned on the external adjustment rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Danco, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Schuster, Duston E. A. Stutzman, Douglas C. Saunders
  • Patent number: 8701220
    Abstract: A jet powered toilet flushing system, including: a toilet bowl; a reservoir; a fluid conduit between the reservoir and the toilet bowl; a jet inside the reservoir, the jet having a nozzle directed toward an entrance of the fluid conduit; a fill valve that supplies water to the jet; and a flow diverter in the reservoir, the flow diverter positioned to divert water flow: (a) from the jet nozzle into the entrance of the fluid conduit when the reservoir is full, or (b) from the jet nozzle away from the entrance of the fluid conduit and into the reservoir when the reservoir is empty.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Fluidmaster, Inc.
    Inventors: Matt Vargas, Tom Stout, Anurupa Rao
  • Patent number: 8534313
    Abstract: An auxiliary actuator for a toilet fill valve comprises a plunger oriented under an arm of the toilet fill valve to lift the arm to close the toilet fill valve when the plunger is in a raised position. A spring or hydraulic mechanism urges the plunger into the raised position. A solenoid mechanism is normally de-energized and engages a latching mechanism of the plunger when the plunger is in a lowered position. An electronic sensing circuit has at least one sensor and a power source. The electronic sensing circuit is electrically connected with the solenoid mechanism to energize the solenoid mechanism upon detection of a fault condition based on the input of the at least one sensor. Fault conditions may include a flush valve leak, a stuck-open flush valve, a plugged toilet, and a leaking fill valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Inventor: Kermit L. Achterman
  • Patent number: 7476368
    Abstract: A system for microbially deactivating items. The system includes a circulation system for circulating a microbial decontamination fluid through a deactivation chamber that forms a part of the circulation system. A container for holding items to be deactivated is provided. The container has a sealable cavity in which the items to be deactivated may be placed, and at least one valve element that is movable between an open and a closed position to regulate fluid flow into the cavity. An actuator in the deactivation chamber is operable to move the valve element to an open position when the container is disposed within the deactivation chamber, wherein the cavity within the container is in fluid communication with the circulation system when the valve element is in the open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: American Sterilizer Company
    Inventors: Donald A. Sargent, Christopher A. Jethrow, Jude A. Kral, Karl F. Ludwig, Victor Selig
  • Patent number: 6675398
    Abstract: A diverter valve for selectively passing water from a ballcock valve directly to a water storage tank or to the rim of a toilet. It includes a diverter plunger which places a deflector into the path of water from the ballcock, and a float which removes the deflector from the lumen when the ballcock valve is closed and the water level is sufficiently high, and lowers the plunger when the water level is sufficiently low.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Inventor: Bruce A. Antunez
  • Patent number: 5920920
    Abstract: A straight trap toilet apparatus mainly comprises a main body with a straight trap, a piston, and a toilet bowl. The water outlet of the main body is connected to a waste pipe, and the top of the main body is mounted below the toilet bowl. The main body has a water valve, wherein one end of the water valve is connected to an inlet tube connected to a water-faucet, and the other end of the water valve is connected to an outlet tube that corresponds to the spurt water hole of the toilet bowl. In normal condition, water flows from the outlet tube into the toilet bowel and the main body. A water tank is in fluid communication with the main body by a linking tube such that the water in the toilet bowel and the water tank are at the same level. The motion of the float ball will control a valve handle to control the water valve for controlling the water intake. The water from the outlet tube may gather together in the main body, the toilet bowel, and is in fluid communication with the water tank by a linking tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1999
    Inventor: Wei-Neng Chi
  • Patent number: 5862538
    Abstract: A toilet flushing device is to be installed in a water supply tank and has a diverter valve which permits the supply of high pressure water to the rim flushing conduit of a toilet bowl when the toilet bowl is flushed. The diverter valve has a valve housing and a valve rod disposed movably in the valve housing in response to increase or decrease of the water level. A passage is formed longitudinally through the valve rod so as to direct high pressure water to the water supply tank, thereby preventing fouling formation in the passage of the valve rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Inventor: Chung-Yi Ho
  • Patent number: 5742951
    Abstract: An interlock mechanism (6-9, 41-47) for a cistern or flush tank (1) has an underwater flush valve (3). The interlock mechanism is linked with the float arm (7, 57) of an inlet valve (5, 50). The interlock mechanism latches the float arm in its raised position in the event of a leaky flush valve (3). Thus although a single cistern volume is lost there is no further loss. The next time a flush actuator (10) is operated the interlock mechanism in unlatched allowing the cistern to re-fill. The rising water re-sets the interlock latch mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1998
    Assignee: Caroma Industries Limited
    Inventors: Sonny Rene Wright, Peter Ross Dunstan, Luke Daniel Streeter
  • Patent number: 5351713
    Abstract: An effect-enhancing structure for rinsing a flush toilet includes a plurality of sets of a water-supply device and a floating ball, a trunk duct conducting water into a water case, a distributing duct set transversely and connected to the trunk duct, stop valves connected to the distributing duct to provide a distribution of water supply, and water supply ducts; wherein the stop valves are connected to rods of the floating ball separately to control the switching so as to increase the hydraulic pressure of stored water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1994
    Assignee: Chen Ying Ceramic Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kuan-Yuh Lin
  • Patent number: 5175894
    Abstract: A toilet flushing device has a diverter valve which permits the supply of high pressure water to the rim flushing conduit of a toilet bowl when the toilet bowl is flushed, thereby enhancing the flushing of the toilet bowl. The diverter valve has provisions for adjusting the level of refill water inside the toilet bowl so as to help reduce water consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1993
    Assignee: Aucera Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Jui-Hsiang Chen
  • Patent number: 4996726
    Abstract: A fill valve (36) has a main valve (34) with a control chamber (44) for controlling the on and off actuation of the main valve. A tube (58) is in fluid communication with chamber (44) and extends into the water at the fill level (46) in tank (10). The flush valve (64) is connected to tube (58) such that upon actuation it raises tube (58) and lowers the pressure in chamber (44) to turn on the main valve (34) independent of whether the water level in tank (10) drops below its fill level (46) to direct water from the main valve to a rim wash conduit (28).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1991
    Assignee: Masco Corporation of Indiana
    Inventors: Donald C. Schrock, David Nichols-Roy
  • Patent number: 4918763
    Abstract: A water closet is disclosed having a bowl with rim wash outlets and a tank connected thereto containing flushing water at a level where most of the water will not flow by gravity through the bowl rim outlets. A tank water withdrawing device is mounted in the tank and is automatically activated when flushing is initiated to withdraw water from the tank and direct it to the bowl rim outlet to supplement the volume of water flowing from a water supply inlet connected to the tank to conserve water usage and provide proper rim wash at low water supply pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 24, 1990
    Assignee: Canaceramic Limited
    Inventor: John J. Brotcke
  • Patent number: 4408361
    Abstract: A diverter valve for a fluid storage tank such as the storage tank of a water closet is disclosed. In one embodiment, the diverter valve has a housing with an inlet passage for receiving a supply of water and a pair of outlet passages. One of the outlet passages delivers pressurized water from the diverter valve to the storage tank, and the other outlet passage delivers the pressurized water to a diversion conduit connected to the toilet bowl rim. The diverter valve also includes a movable flap mounted within the diverter valve which moves to proportion the flow of water between the two outlet passages in response to changes in the water level of the tank. The flap is initially positioned to direct water to the tank when the tank water level is high. The flap is then moved by a water level sensor such as a float to direct water to the bowl rim when the water level in the storage tank has dropped below a pre-determined diversion level. Flow to the bowl rim continues even after the tank has emptied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1983
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventor: Roy J. Rozek
  • Patent number: 4407025
    Abstract: A water-conserving toilet is disclosed and includes a bowl for receiving waste and a waste outlet extending laterally from the bowl and defining a first, shallow trap arranged so that a relatively shallow body of liquid is normally retained in the bottom of the bowl for preventing gaseous flow through the trap. A flush system is provided and is arranged, when operated, to deliver a charge of flushing liquid into the bowl in a direction to cause said body of liquid to be discharged through said outlet. An enlarged chamber communicates with said bowl outlet for receiving waste from the bowl. An outlet extends outwardly from the chamber and is adapted for connection to a sewer inlet. The chamber outlet defines a second trap of substantial height capable of preventing reverse flow of sewer gas into the chamber in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1983
    Inventors: Arnold Hennessy, John D. Inch
  • Patent number: 4310934
    Abstract: A water-conserving toilet is disclosed and includes a bowl for receiving waste and a waste outlet extending laterally from the bowl and defining a first, shallow trap arranged so that a relatively shallow body of liquid is normally retained in the bottom of the bowl for preventing gaseous flow through the trap. A flush system is provided and is arranged, when operated, to deliver a charge of flushing liquid into the bowl in a direction to cause said body of liquid to be discharged through said outlet. A waste holding tank communicates with said bowl outlet for receiving waste from the bowl and the holding tank has an outlet extending outwardly from the tank and adapted for connection to a sewer inlet. The holding tank outlet defines a second trap of substantial height capable of preventing reverse flow of sewer gas into the holding tank in use and the holding tank and second trap are arranged to contain a volume of liquid substantially in excess of the volume discharged from the bowl at each flush.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1979
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1982
    Inventors: Arnold Hennessy, John D. Inch