Toilet having a flapper valve closing device

A toilet include a toilet water tank, a flapper valve and a float pusher that supports closing the flapper valve properly and moves up and down in the toilet water tank by buoyancy force, a vertical guide that guides the float pusher in moving up and down along the vertical guide. The flapper valve is adapted to open for releasing water from a toilet water tank and to close for the purpose of refilling water in the toilet water tank. The float pusher includes a through hole, a bottom surface, a top surface, an outer surface connecting the top surface and the bottom surface and a water recess that is adapted to contain water. The water recess is provided on the top surface. The through hole is provided between the top surface and the bottom surface.

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Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to a toilet having a flapper valve closing device. More particularly, this invention is related to a toilet that has a float pusher moving up and down to close a flapper valve along with a vertical guide.

The toilet has been essential home equipment for body waste since being invented. The flapper valve is adapted to open for releasing water from a toilet water tank and to close for the purpose of refilling water in the toilet water tank. A wire or a rod opens the flapper valve by pulling up when a user turns a trip handle, then the flapper valve is closed by water pressure.

A prior toilet having a toilet water tank and a flapper valve has a problem that the flapper valve is not closed accurately for some reasons, and water leaks through a gap between the flapper valve and a flapper valve seat that causes water waste.

The reason for the above-mentioned problems is that the water pressure is low to close the flapper valve exactly, or the wire is not loose enough to close the flapper valve.

This invention provides a solution for related problems by providing a float pusher that supports closing a flapper valve properly, and the float pusher is adapted to move up and down in the toilet water tank by buoyancy force.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention contrives to solve a problem that has not address by the prior art.

An object of the invention is to provide a toilet having a toilet water tank, a flapper valve and a float pusher that supports closing a flapper valve properly.

To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a toilet having a toilet water tank and a flapper valve. The toilet includes a float pusher that is adapted to support closing a flapper valve properly and move up and down in the toilet water tank by buoyancy force, a vertical guide that guides the float pusher in moving up and down along the vertical guide and the flapper valve that is adapted to open for releasing water from a toilet water tank and to close for the purpose of refilling water in the toilet water tank. In an embodiment, the vertical guide for the float pusher is an overflow pipe of the toilet.

The float pusher includes a through hole, a bottom surface, a top surface, an outer surface connecting the top surface and the bottom surface. The float pusher has a cylindrical body and is assembled to move along the vertical guide. The bottom surface of the float pusher may have a flat surface, a concave surface or a convex surface. The through hole is provided between the top surface and the bottom surface, and a diameter of the through hole is larger than a diameter of the vertical guide.

A water recess adapted to contain water is provided on the top surface and the float pusher pushes to close properly the flapper valve by the force of its own weight and a weight of contained water in the water recess at a lower level of water. The water recess of the through hole may include a first annular step that is adjacent to the top surface of the float pusher.

In another embodiment, the toilet includes a cross bracket that is attached to the toilet water tank and includes a guide rod that is attached to the cross bracket. The position of the guide rod on the cross bracket is adjustable. The vertical guide for the float pusher is the guide rod.

The through hole is located at the center of the top surface. The through hole may be located offset from the center of the top surface, and in this case of that the toilet water tank has a guide wall that surrounds the outer surface of the float pusher. The through hole may include one or more longitudinal projected lines or one or more flat portion for preventing jamming.

The advantages of the present invention are: (1) the toilet helps to close the flapper valve properly and early; (2) the toilet prevents water leakage by an unclosed flapper valve; and (3) the toilet fits any type of the toilet water tank.

Although the present invention is briefly summarized, the fuller understanding of the invention can be obtained by the following drawings, detailed description and appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspect and advantage of the present invention will become better understood with referenced to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a float pusher and a vertical guide;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the float pusher and the vertical guide;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another float pusher and the vertical guide;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the float pusher and the vertical guide;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of still another float pusher and the vertical guide;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the float pusher, the vertical guide and a guide wall;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of still another float pusher and the vertical guide;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the float pusher and the vertical guide;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a float pusher having a flat bottom surface and the vertical guide;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a float pusher having a concave bottom surface and the vertical guide;

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a float pusher having a convex bottom surface and the vertical guide;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a toilet having a toilet water tank, a flapper valve, a cross bracket and the float pusher;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of still another float pusher and the vertical guide;

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the float pusher and the vertical guide;

FIG. 15 is a schematic elevation view of the float pusher pushing the flapper valve to close;

FIG. 16 is a plan view of the float pusher that has projection lines; and

FIG. 17 is a plan view of the float pusher that has flat portions.

 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 15 shows a float pusher 10 and a vertical guide 12 and a flapper valve according to present invention. The toilet according to the present invention includes a toilet water tank 14 (refer to FIG. 12) The float pusher 10 that is adapted to support closing the flapper valve 16 properly and move up and down in the toilet water tank 14 by buoyancy force, the vertical guide 12 that guides the float pusher 10 in moving up and down along the vertical guide 12 and the flapper valve 16 that is adapted to open for releasing water from a toilet water tank 14 and to close for the purpose of refilling water in the toilet water tank 14. In one embodiment, the vertical guide 12 for the float pusher is an overflow pipe 18 of the toilet.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show that the float pusher 10 includes a through hole 20, a bottom surface 22, a top surface 24, an outer surface 26 connecting the top surface 24 and the bottom surface 22. The float pusher 10 has a cylindrical body and is assembled to move along the vertical guide 12. FIGS. 9-11 show that the bottom surface 22 of the float pusher 10 has a flat surface 28, a concave surface 30 or a convex surface 32. The various shapes of the bottom surface 22 provide efficient operation of the float pusher 10 in applications having varying geometry around the flapper valve 16. The through hole 20 is provided between the top surface 24 and the bottom surface 22, and a diameter of the through hole 20 is larger than a diameter of the vertical guide 12. The gap between the through hole 20 and the vertical guide 12 is determined to provide smooth movement of the float pusher 10 and the vertical guide 12, and to adjust the speed of the down movement of the float pusher 10.

A water recess 34 that is adapted to contain water is provided on the top surface 24. The float pusher 10 pushes to close properly the flapper valve 16 by the force of its own weight and a weight of contained water in the water recess 34 at a lower level of water. In FIG. 1 the water recess 34 of the through hole 20 includes a first annular step 36 that is adjacent to the top surface 24 of the float pusher 10.

FIG. 12 shows another embodiment, in which the toilet includes a cross bracket 38 that is attached to the toilet water tank 14 and a guide rod 40 that is attached to the cross bracket 38 as the vertical guide 12. The position of the guide rod 40 on the cross bracket 38 is adjustable.

FIGS. 1-4 and 9-15 show that the through hole 20 is located a center of the top surface 24 of the float pusher 10. FIGS. 5-8 show that the through hole 20 is located an offset from the center of the top surface 24. As shown in FIG. 6, the toilet water tank has a guide wall 42 that surrounds the outer surface 26 of the float pusher 10. The guide wall 42 helps the float pusher not to jam with the overflow pipe 18 by guiding the outer surface 26 of the float pusher 10. The float pusher 10 is movable along the guide wall 42.

The through hole 20 includes one or more longitudinal projected lines 44 (refer to FIG. 16) or includes one or more flat portion 46 (refer to FIG. 17) for preventing jamming.

Part of the top surface of the float pusher may have different height from the remaining portion of the top surface of the float pusher and the through hole of the float pusher may be lower than the outer surface of the float pusher in order to prevent interference with existing parts of the toilet. The through hole is provided to have various diameters to accommodate different diameters of the overflow pipe or to prevent interference with protrusions on the overflow pipe.

The float pusher may further include a lid, and the lid has one or more through holes for water to enter. A top of the lid may have a flat surface, a concave surface or a convex surface.

The float pusher may include one or more pieces that are assembled with each other with pins or recesses. By adjusting gaps between the pieces, the size of the float pusher is adjustable.

In case the refill water supply tube is positioned above the float pusher, water ejected from the refill water supply tube hits the float pusher and facilitates moving of the float pusher.

In case the overflow pipe in the toilet water tank is close to the inside wall of the toilet water tank, part of the through hole is open to prevent jamming with the inside wall.

Diameter and height of the guide wall are determined so that the float pusher's movement is not interfered with existing toilet parts.

While the invention has been shown and described with reference to different embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that variations in form, detail, compositions and operation may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. A toilet having a toilet water tank and a flapper valve comprising: wherein the float pusher comprises a through hole, a bottom surface, a top surface, an outer surface connecting the top surface and the bottom surface and a water recess that is adapted to contain water, wherein the water recess is provided on the top surface, wherein the through hole is provided between the top surface and the bottom surface, wherein a diameter of the through hole is larger than a diameter of the vertical guide, wherein the float pusher is assembled to move along the vertical guide, wherein the float pusher pushes to close properly the flapper valve by the force of its own weight and a weight of contained water in the water recess at a lower level of water.

a) a float pusher that is adapted to support closing a flapper valve properly wherein the float pusher is adapted to move up and down in the toilet water tank by buoyancy force;
b) a vertical guide that guides the float pusher in moving up and down along the vertical guide; and
c) the flapper valve that is adapted to open for releasing water from a toilet water tank and to close for the purpose of refilling water in the toilet water tank;

2. The toilet of claim 1, wherein the water recess of the through hole comprises a first annular step, wherein the first annular step is adjacent to the top surface of the float pusher.

3. The toilet of claim 1, wherein the vertical guide is an overflow pipe of the toilet.

4. The toilet of claim 1, further comprising a cross bracket that is attached to the toilet water tank, wherein the cross bracket comprises a guide rod, wherein the guide rod is attached to the cross bracket, wherein the position of the guide rod on the cross bracket is adjustable.

5. The toilet of claim 1, wherein the float pusher comprises a cylindrical body.

6. The toilet of claim 1, wherein the through hole is located at the center of the top surface.

7. The toilet of claim 1, further comprising a guide wall that surrounds the outer surface of the float pusher, wherein the through hole is located offset from the center of the top surface.

8. The toilet of claim 1, wherein the through hole comprises one or more longitudinal projected lines.

9. The toilet of claim 1, wherein the through hole comprises one or more flat portions.

10. The toilet of claim 1, wherein the bottom surface comprises a flat surface.

11. The toilet of claim 1, wherein the bottom surface comprises a concave surface.

12. The toilet of claim 1, wherein the bottom surface comprises a convex surface.

Patent History
Publication number: 20080086806
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 16, 2006
Publication Date: Apr 17, 2008
Inventor: Henry Hyunbo Shim (Los Angeles, CA)
Application Number: 11/581,655
Classifications
Current U.S. Class: With Outlet Valve (4/378)
International Classification: E03D 1/34 (20060101);