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 is a division of co-pending patent application Ser. No. 11/755,433 filed Jul. 10, 2007.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThis 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, or lower flush valve float device, and a low volume flush valve 146, or upper flush valve float device. 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 163 extends downward from the extension 158. The high volume flush valve defines a water outflow passage that extends downward through the high volume flush valve from an opening bounded by the valve seat 160 to an opening at a lower end of the high volume flush valve. Extension 128 defines a downwardly tapering upper segment of the water outflow passage. 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. The low volume flush valve defines a passage that extends vertically through the low volume flush valve. 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 242 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 266 is lifted, and water flows downward through the extension 258 and 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
1-14. (canceled)
15. A toilet tank installation including a toilet tank having a floor formed with an opening and a flush valve assembly comprising:
- a base structure comprising a base portion installed in the opening formed in the floor of the toilet tank, and an offset portion extending upward into the tank from the base portion, the base structure defining a water outflow passage having an upper end and a lower end, the lower end of the outflow passage being offset horizontally from the upper end of the outflow passage, and the base structure including a first valve seat at the upper end of the water outflow passage, wherein said offset portion provides the offset of the lower end of the outflow passage from the upper end of the outflow passage,
- a guide member that extends vertically upward from the base structure,
- a lower flush valve float device that is movable relative to the base structure between a sealing position in which the lower flush valve float device engages the first valve seat in sealing relationship and a flushing position in which the lower flush valve float device is spaced upwardly from the first valve seat, the lower flush valve float device defining a water flow passage that extends downward through the lower flush valve float device from an opening bounded by a second valve seat at an upper end of the lower flush valve float device to an opening at a lower end of the lower flush valve float device, and wherein the guide member passes through the water flow passage of the lower flush valve float device, whereby the guide member guides movement of the lower flush valve float device relative to the base structure, and the opening at the lower end of the lower flush valve float device is defined by an outflow extension tube that is part of the lower flush valve float device and extends downward beyond the first valve seat when the lower flush valve float device engages the first valve seat, and
- an upper flush valve float device that is movable relative to the lower flush valve float device between a sealing position in which the upper flush valve float device engages the second valve seat in sealing relationship and a flushing position in which the upper flush valve float device is spaced upwardly from the second valve seat, the upper flush valve float device defining a passage that extends vertically through the upper flush valve float device, and wherein the guide member passes through the passage of the upper flush valve float device, whereby the guide member guides movement of the upper flush valve float device relative to the lower flush valve float device,
- and wherein the offset portion is a skewed frusto-conical extension that flares upwardly from the base portion.
16. A toilet tank installation according to claim 15, wherein the offset portion defines a segment of the water outflow passage,
- and wherein said segment of the water outflow passage has an upper end and a lower end, the first valve seat is provided at the upper end of said segment of the water outflow passage, and the upper end of said segment of the water outflow passage is of greater diameter than the lower end of said segment of the water outflow passage.
17. A toilet tank flush valve assembly, for use with a toilet tank having a floor formed with an opening, the flush valve assembly comprising:
- a base structure comprising a base portion for installation in the opening formed in the floor of the toilet tank, and an offset portion extending upward into the tank from the base portion, the base structure defining a water outflow passage having an upper end and a lower end, the lower end of the outflow passage being offset horizontally from the upper end of the outflow passage, and the base structure including a first valve seat at the upper end of the water outflow passage, wherein said offset portion provides the offset of the lower end of the outflow passage from the upper end of the outflow passage,
- a guide member that extends vertically upward from the base structure,
- a lower flush valve float device that is movable relative to the base structure between a sealing position in which the lower flush valve float device engages the first valve seat in sealing relationship and a flushing position in which the lower flush valve float device is spaced upwardly from the first valve seat, the lower flush valve float device defining a water flow passage that extends downward through the lower flush valve float device from an opening bounded by a second valve seat at an upper end of the lower flush valve float device to an opening at a lower end of the lower flush valve float device, and wherein the guide member passes through the water flow passage of the lower flush valve float device, whereby the guide member guides movement of the lower flush valve float device relative to the base structure, and the opening at the lower end of the lower flush valve float device is defined by an outflow extension tube that is part of the lower flush valve float device and extends downward beyond the first valve seat when the lower flush valve float device engages the first valve seat, and
- an upper flush valve float device that is movable relative to the lower flush valve float device between a sealing position in which the upper flush valve float device engages the second valve seat in sealing relationship and a flushing position in which the upper flush valve float device is spaced upwardly from the second valve seat, the upper flush valve float device defining a passage that extends vertically through the upper flush valve float device, and wherein the guide member passes through the passage of the upper flush valve float device, whereby the guide member guides movement of the upper flush valve float device relative to the lower flush valve float device.
18. A flush valve assembly according to claim 17, wherein the base structure further includes an upward extension element extending upward beyond the offset portion, and the first valve seat is provided at an upper end of the upward extension element.
19. A flush valve assembly according to claim 18, wherein the water outflow passage has an upper segment defined by the upward extension element, and the upper segment of the water outflow passage tapers downwardly.
20. A flush valve assembly according to claim 18, wherein the outflow extension tube extends downward into the upward extension element.
21. A flush valve structure according to claim 17, wherein the offset portion is an S-shaped tube.
22. A toilet tank flush valve assembly, for use with a toilet tank having a floor formed with an opening, the flush valve assembly comprising:
- a base structure comprising a base portion for installation in the opening formed in the floor of the toilet tank, and an offset portion extending upward into the tank from the base portion, the base structure defining a water outflow passage having an upper end and a lower end, the lower end of the outflow passage being offset horizontally from the upper end of the outflow passage, and the base structure including a first valve seat at the upper end of the water outflow passage, wherein said offset portion provides the offset of the lower end of the outflow passage from the upper end of the outflow passage,
- a guide member that extends vertically upward from the base structure,
- a lower flush valve float device that is movable relative to the base structure between a sealing position in which the lower flush valve float device engages the first valve seat in sealing relationship and a flushing position in which the lower flush valve float device is spaced upwardly from the first valve seat, the lower flush valve float device defining a water flow passage that extends downward through the lower flush valve float device from an opening bounded by a second valve seat at an upper end of the lower flush valve float device to an opening at a lower end of the lower flush valve float device, and wherein the guide member passes through the water flow passage of the lower flush valve float device, whereby the guide member guides movement of the lower flush valve float device relative to the base structure, and the opening at the lower end of the lower flush valve float device is defined by an outflow extension tube that is part of the lower flush valve float device and extends downward beyond the first valve seat when the lower flush valve float device engages the first valve seat, and
- an upper flush valve float device that is movable relative to the lower flush valve float device between a sealing position in which the upper flush valve float device engages the second valve seat in sealing relationship and a flushing position in which the upper flush valve float device is spaced upwardly from the second valve seat, the upper flush valve float device defining a passage that extends vertically through the upper flush valve float device, and wherein the guide member passes through the passage of the upper flush valve float device, whereby the guide member guides movement of the upper flush valve float device relative to the lower flush valve float device,
- and wherein the offset portion is a skewed frusto-conical extension that flares upwardly from the base.
23. A flush valve assembly according to claim 22, wherein the offset portion defines a segment of the water outflow passage,
- and wherein said segment of the water outflow passage has an upper end and a lower end, the first valve seat is provided at the upper end of said segment of the water outflow passage, and the upper end of said segment of the water outflow passage is of greater diameter than the lower end of said segment of the water outflow passage.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 6, 2010
Publication Date: Jul 1, 2010
Inventor: Douglas P. Hand (Lake Oswego, OR)
Application Number: 12/683,342