Siphonic Jet At Trap Patents (Class 4/425)
  • Patent number: 12163325
    Abstract: A toilet includes a bowl with a sump and a trapway connecting the sump to an outlet of the toilet. The trapway has a zeta shape and is configured to induce a siphon which provides pressure to suction waste water from the bowl during a flush cycle. A trapway supply conduit is connected to the trapway in a tangential orientation to an upleg region of the trapway. The trapway supply conduit supplies water to the trapway, which follows a contour of the inner surface of the trapway supply conduit and continues in the same direction into the upleg region of the trapway by relying on a fluid flow to follow the curve of a convex surface placed proximate to the flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: Clayton C. Garrels, Jeremiah J. Rauwerdink, Randal S. Graskamp
  • Patent number: 12098533
    Abstract: A water turbine and electric motor hybrid power suction type water-saving toilet, with toilet main body comprising a hollow frame, a hollow frame water inlet, a basin bottom water injection hole and an S-shaped bend, wherein the hollow frame is located on upper part of the toilet with water injection holes distributed along the periphery towards inner side of the toilet; the hollow frame water inlet is formed in rear part of the toilet; the basin bottom water injection hole is formed in lower part of the toilet and communicates with the hollow frame water inlet through a pipe cavity attached to outer wall of the toilet; and a basin bottom water injection valve is arranged at the opening of the basin bottom water injection hole leading to the S-shaped bend and controls connection/disconnection of basin bottom water injection hole and S-shaped bend inlet section with water pumping process synchronously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2024
    Inventor: Chunxin Jin
  • Patent number: 11987968
    Abstract: The present invention provides a flush toilet device (1) including: a flush toilet (2); a flush water tank (10); a discharge valve (12) that discharges the flush water stored in the flush water tank; a branching portion (33) that splits flush water supplied from a water supply source into first and second branched flow paths; a first on-off valve (19) provided in the first branched flow path and switches between spout and stop of the flush water from the upper spout port; a second on-off valve (17) provided in the second branched flow path and switches between supply and stop of the flush water into the flush water tank; and a controller (28) that controls the first and second on-off valve so that water is spouted from the upper spout port and is supplied into the flush water tank at a time by opening the first and second on-off valves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: TOTO LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hashimoto, Kenichi Nakamura, Takumi Tsuchitani, Shinichi Urata, Chisato Sone, Koichiro Matsumura
  • Patent number: 11987967
    Abstract: A high efficiency toilet configuration including a water tank. The tank includes a supply line, a mechanical valve controlling a flow of water from the line into the tank, and walls and a base. The tank includes a through-hole in the base channeling water out of the water tank and a tank outlet hole including a housing extending through the through-hole. The tank includes an outlet valve configured for selectively prohibiting water from flowing through the tank outlet hole and permitting water through the tank outlet hole during a flush event. The tank includes a water column vessel disposed around the outlet hole and configured for separating water in the water tank between water outside of the vessel and a channel of water contained over the outlet hole. The configuration includes a toilet base including a bowl and a plenum for channeling the water to the bowl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Inventors: Patrick Gerard Stack, Joan Marie Stoneburner
  • Patent number: 11692338
    Abstract: A toilet fixture is provided including an inlet pipe, a toilet bowl in fluid communication with the inlet pipe, an outlet pipe in fluid communication with the toilet bowl, a jet pipe in fluid communication with the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe, and a removable jet pipe assembly that connects the jet pipe to the outlet pipe. A foreign object strainer may be positioned in-line with the inlet pipe. A flush assembly may also include a flush valve, a vacuum breaker tube in fluid communication with the flush valve, a foreign object strainer in fluid communication with the vacuum breaker tube, and an outlet pipe in fluid communication with the foreign object strainer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: SDB IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventor: Christopher Harrison
  • Patent number: 11598078
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a water supply assembly of a toilet comprising a water input pipe, a water tank, a water suction pump and a water output pipe; wherein the water input pipe is connected to the water tank; clean water enters the water tank through the water input pipe; the water tank is connected to the water suction pump connected to the water output pipe; the water suction pump pumps the clean water inside the water tank into the water output pipe; the water tank comprises a main water tank portion, an auxiliary water tank portion, and a water equalizing pipe connecting between and through the main water tank and the auxiliary water tank. The present disclosure provides a flushing assembly, a water suction assembly, and a check valve for use in the toilet. The present disclosure provides a method, device, and storage for controlling toilet water consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Shanghai Kohler Electronics, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junfeng Sun, Yunqing Zang, Minggao Xu
  • Patent number: 11560705
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a washdown flush toilet which can maintain effective waste discharging performance even with a relatively smaller amount of flush water. The present invention is a washdown flush toilet including: a bowl part configured to receive waste, and a water discharge trap conduit connected to a lower portion of the bowl part. The water discharge trap conduit includes: an inlet pipe part whose one end is continuous or connected to the lower portion of the bowl part; a trap ascending pipe part whose one end is continuous or connected to the other end of the inlet pipe part and which forms an ascending flow channel; and a trap descending pipe part whose one end is continuous or connected to the other end of the trap ascending pipe part and which forms a descending flow channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: TOTO LTD.
    Inventor: Shoko Imaizumi
  • Patent number: 11299877
    Abstract: A toilet assembly includes a toilet, a non-vitreous fluid delivery component, and a connector assembly. The non-vitreous fluid delivery component is coupled to, and in fluid communication with, the toilet. The connector assembly couples the non-vitreous fluid delivery component to the toilet in a substantially watertight manner. The connector assembly includes a connector body, a nut adjustably coupled to the connector body, and a sealing member disposed on the connector body. The nut is configured to be adjusted relative to the connector body to cause the connector body to compress the sealing member against a portion of the toilet, such that the sealing member creates a substantially watertight seal between the toilet and the connector body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: Randy O. Mesun, Jeremiah J. Rauwerdink, Daniel N. Halloran, Keith E. Muellenbach, Jennifer L. Tarplee
  • Patent number: 11098470
    Abstract: The invention is related to an article for daily use. It provides a tankless water-saving seated toilet body and its fabrication method. The tankless water-saving seated toilet body comprises a seated toilet main body, which further comprises a bowl, a drainage pipe, a flushing pipe, a flushing device installation space and a body shell. The upper periphery of the sidewall of the bowl has a water loop. The bottom of the bowl has a drainage pipe inlet and a drainage main flushing nozzle. The outside of the bottom of the water loop is attached to the upper periphery of the toilet bowl and the body shell. The flushing device installation space is placed in the back of the main body. The flushing device installation space has a flushing pipet inlet. The flushing device installation space is connected to the water loop and the drainage main flushing nozzle through a flushing pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Inventor: Guanghui He
  • Patent number: 11021861
    Abstract: A toilet includes a bowl portion, a rim portion, and a reservoir. The bowl portion defines a bowl cavity that is in fluid connection with a trapway. The bowl cavity is configured to hold a volume of water to provide a water seal for the trapway. The rim portion extends about an upper portion of the bowl portion. The rim portion defines an internal rim cavity that extends about an upper portion of the rim portion and a plurality of apertures that extend from the internal rim cavity and through a sidewall of the rim portion to direct water from the internal rim cavity to the bowl cavity. The reservoir is in fluid communication with the internal rim cavity and the bowl cavity and configured to receive a supply of pressurized water from a water source and direct at least a portion of the pressurized water to the internal rim cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: Keith E. Muellenbach, Randy O. Mesun, Kyle L. Hokel
  • Patent number: 10927537
    Abstract: A tankless toilet includes a bowl, a trapway, and a jet. The bowl includes a rim at an upper portion of the bowl and a sump at a lower portion of the bowl. The trapway extends from the sump to a drain. The jet includes a main channel configured to receive a supply of water from a supply conduit, and a plurality of distribution channels configured to introduce water received from the main channel to at least one of the sump and the trapway. The jet is configured to receive the supply of water from the supply conduit at a first flow rate and induce a flow from the supply of water into the trapway at a second flow rate greater than the first flow rate to prime a siphon within the trapway. The second flow rate is greater than the first flow rate prior to priming the siphon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: Sudip Mukerji, Michael J Luettgen, William Kalk, Randy Mesun, Jeremy Rauwerdink, Jeffrey T. Laundre, John Esche, Keith Muellenbach, Clayton Garrels
  • Patent number: 10774511
    Abstract: A flush toilet is provided, which can enhance discharge performance of waste from an inside of a water discharge trap conduit even with a smaller amount of flushing water, in the flush toilet discharging waste by a siphon action. A flush toilet of the present invention has a bowl section, a water discharge trap conduit, and a jet spout port connected to a lower portion of the bowl section and opened toward the water discharge trap conduit, with an outlet portion bottom surface of an outlet portion thereof and a bottom surface of the bowl section being connected, and a bottom surface of the bowl section forms a curved surface that diagonally inclines more downward than the outlet portion bottom surface from a tip end of an outlet portion bottom surface of the jet spout port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: TOTO LTD.
    Inventors: Shu Kashirajima, Yuuki Shinohara
  • Patent number: 10655313
    Abstract: A toilet comprising a tank configured to hold a first supply of water therein; a bowl having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the inlet is in fluid communication with the tank, such that the bowl is configured to receive the first supply of water; and a passage having a first end, a second end, and an inlet opening provided between the first end and the second end, wherein the first end is in fluid communication with the outlet of the bowl, wherein the second end is configured to be in fluid communication with a drain pipe, and wherein the passage is configured to receive a second supply of water through the inlet opening during a flush cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: KOHLER CO.
    Inventors: Clayton C. Garrels, William C. Kuru, Randy S. Graskamp
  • Patent number: 10626589
    Abstract: A flush toilet comprises a bowl portion including a waste receiving surface, a rim portion formed on the top edge portion thereof so that inner circumferential surface thereof rises essentially vertically, and a shelf portion formed between the rim portion and the waste receiving surface; a water spouting portion for spouting flush water onto the shelf portion to form a swirl flow; and a water conduit for supplying the flush water to the spouting portion. The water spouting portion is formed in the front region of the bowl portion, and a part of the inner circumferential surface of the rim portion is formed in an inward-facing overhanging shape; and the water spouting portion is covered by the overhanging part of the rim portion such that a user cannot observe the water spouting portion when viewing from diagonally forward and above the bowl portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: TOTO LTD.
    Inventors: Yu Yamasaki, Masaaki Inoue, Masahiro Nakamura
  • Patent number: 10604921
    Abstract: A flush toilet is provided, which can advance timing for startup of a siphon action that discharges waste, and can efficiently discharge waste from a water discharge trap conduit. A flush toilet of the present invention has a bowl section, a water discharge trap conduit connected to a lower portion of the bowl section, and a jet spout port that is opened toward the water discharge trap conduit, in the lower portion of the bowl section, and the jet spout port includes an outlet flow path in which a bottom surface extending toward an outlet of the jet spout port and toward a bowl section bottom surface in the lower portion of the bowl section, and a ceiling surface extending toward the outlet and having an inclination toward an upper direction than an inclination of the bottom surface are formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: TOTO LTD.
    Inventors: Shu Kashirajima, Yuuki Shinohara
  • Patent number: 10352030
    Abstract: A toilet having a tank to receive water and a bowl connected with the tank. Water travels from the tank to the bowl to discharge waste in the bowl through a manifold connected to the bowl and into a drain line. The toilet has a jet trapway portion having a jet inlet with a nozzle connected with the tank. The nozzle directs water from the jet inlet to overcome an upward bend in the jet trapway portion until received by the manifold at an inlet below the upward bend. A waste trapway portion extends from the manifold opposite the jet trapway portion and connects with the drain line. Waste is discharged from the bowl through the manifold over a bend in the waste trapway portion by combining water flowing from the jet trapway portion into the manifold with waste flowing from the manifold into the waste trapway portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: FLUIDMASTER, INC.
    Inventor: Tuan Le
  • Patent number: 10253489
    Abstract: A flush toilet for discharging waste using flush water supplied from a flush water source is disclosed. The flush toilet comprises a bowl portion including a rim portion, and a shelf portion formed between the rim portion and a waste receiving surface; a water discharge path for discharging waste; a water spouting portion for spouting flush water onto the shelf portion of the bowl portion to form a swirl flow; and a water conduit for supplying flush water to the spouting portion. The water spouting portion is formed on the rim portion, and a first swirl trajectory of a first circulation and a second swirl trajectory of a second circulation are mutually different when flush water spouted from the water spouting portion swirls along the rim portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: TOTO LTD.
    Inventors: Yu Yamasaki, Masaaki Inoue, Masahiro Nakamura, Kenji Watanabe
  • Patent number: 10246864
    Abstract: A pressure toilet has a trapway providing “as needed” (bulk dependent) siphon assist. During normal liquid waste or low bulk flushing, no siphon is formed in the trapway, and the water and light waste in the bowl are evacuated solely under the force of the pressurized jet of water. A large volume near or just downstream from the dam is provided to accommodate the blow out from the water jet. Only upon reaching a threshold concentration of bulk waste material in the down leg does the trapway draw a siphon. A horizontal baffle at the lower part of the down leg assists in the accumulation of bulk material of sufficient concentration to establish a siphon in the trapway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: KOHLER CO.
    Inventors: William C. Kuru, Kyle L. Hokel, Luke Benjamin Zimbric
  • Patent number: 10233627
    Abstract: A toilet includes a bowl and a vertically-elongated jet hole disposed within a portion of the bowl, near a top of the bowl between a rear of the bowl and a side of the bowl. The vertically-elongated jet hole is configured to direct flush water around an inner surface of the bowl to wash the inner surface of the bowl. The bowl does not include a rim that overhangs any portion of the bowl above the vertically-elongated jet hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: KOHLER CO.
    Inventors: Michael J. Luettgen, William C. Kuru, Sudip Mukerji, Douglas E. Bogard, Peter W. Swart, Clayton C. Garrels, John F. Emmerling, Kari L. Jaeckels, Michael D. Lindsay
  • Patent number: 9938704
    Abstract: A toilet system with a toilet base including a toilet bowl and a shroud for covering a plumbing riser located at a rear end of the toilet base that provides ligature-resistance for institutional applications. The shroud has a mating feature that joins with a corresponding feature at a rear portion of the toilet base to prevent formation of a gap between the base and a front of shroud in at least at a top side of the area of contact between the shroud and the back of the toilet base. The mating feature can be provided by forming a rectangular cross-section at the rear of the toilet base and providing a matching aperture through the shroud. A toilet seat, which may be bonded or bolted to toilet base has an outer edge that is chamfered to prevent ligature formation around a portion of toilet seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: BEHAVIORAL SAFETY PRODUCTS, LLC
    Inventor: Robert Lee deLoache, III
  • Patent number: 9834918
    Abstract: A flush toilet includes a bowl, a tank coupled to the bowl, a flush valve positioned within the tank, and a flush device configured to initiate a flush cycle. The automatic toilet further comprises an electronic sensing assembly having a sensing member positioned on the bowl for detecting an overflow condition of the bowl, an overflow device operably coupled to the flush device, and a controller in electronic communication with the electronic sensing assembly and the overflow device for controlling the flush device in response to a condition of the toilet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Delta Faucet Company
    Inventors: Michael J. Veros, Kurt Judson Thomas, Robert W. Rodenbeck, Garry Robin Marty, Derek Allen Brown
  • Patent number: 9487941
    Abstract: Siphonic, gravity-powered toilets are provided that include a toilet bowl assembly having a toilet bowl. The toilet bowl has a rim channel provided along an upper periphery thereof and a direct-fed jet channel that allows fluid, such as water, to flow from the inlet of the toilet bowl assembly to the direct-fed jet outlet port into the interior of the toilet bowl, in the sump of the bowl. The rim channel includes at least one rim channel outlet port. In the toilets herein, the cross-sectional areas of the toilet bowl assembly inlet, the inlet port to the rim channel, and the outlet port to the direct-fed jet channel are configured so as to be optimized to provide greatly improved hydraulic function at low flush volumes (no greater than about 6.0 liters per flush). The hydraulic function is improved in terms of bulk removal of waste and cleansing of the bowl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: AS America, Inc.
    Inventors: David Grover, Christophe Bucher, Jian Zhou
  • Patent number: 9445696
    Abstract: A sanitary toilet seat has a pivot point for raising and lowering the toilet seat, which pivot point is located on a plane above a horizontal plane upon which the seat may rest when in a lowered position on the toilet bowl. In addition, a toilet bowl may have a steep inside bowl angle to reduce splash effects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Inventor: Joseph R. Tordella
  • Patent number: 9260851
    Abstract: The flush toilet includes a bowl portion including a waste receiving surface, a rim portion and a shelf portion; a rim spouting portion disposed on the rim portion for spouting flush water onto the shelf portion to form a swirl flow on the waste receiving surface; a rim water conduit communicating with an opening portion formed in the lower region of the waste receiving surface of the bowl portion; wherein when flush water is supplied from the flush water source, the spouting of flush water supplied via the water conduit to the opening portion begins before the start of spouting of flush water supplied via the rim water conduit to the rim spouting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: TOTO LTD.
    Inventors: Yu Yamasaki, Masaaki Inoue, Masahiro Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9228336
    Abstract: A spray system, which reduces contamination caused by toilet flushing, is activated during a flush cycle to contain waste matter and prevent escape thereof from the bowl. The system is mounted above the level of water in a toilet and includes an aperture that creates a spray and is fluid communication with the flush valve of the toilet. Accordingly, each time the flush valve is activated, a portion of the water provided to the toilet is directed to the aperture to create a spray to minimize escaping effluent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Masco Canada Limited
    Inventor: Frank A. Stauder
  • Patent number: 9045890
    Abstract: A pressure toilet has a trapway providing “as needed” (bulk dependent) siphon assist. During normal liquid waste or low bulk flushing, no siphon is formed in the trapway, and the water and light waste in the bowl are evacuated solely under the force of the pressurized jet of water. A large volume near or just downstream from the dam is provided to accommodate the blow out from the water jet. Only upon reaching a threshold concentration of bulk waste material in the down leg does the trapway draw a siphon. A horizontal baffle at the lower part of the down leg assists in the accumulation of bulk material of sufficient concentration to establish a siphon in the trapway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: William C. Kuru, Kyle L. Hokel, Luke Benjamin Zimbric
  • Patent number: 9021622
    Abstract: There is provided a flush toilet device capable of being configured in a compact size and supplying a sufficient flow amount of water to a toilet to reliably flush and discharge waste. According to the flush toilet device, a straight pipe portion of a throat which is arranged inside a tank is arranged in a state where a center axis thereof inclines with respect to a front-back direction of the tank when viewed from an upper side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Toto Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Kitaura, Ryoko Ishimaru, Tomohiro Iwabata, Yoshiki Ota, Takashi Yoshioka
  • Patent number: 8793818
    Abstract: The WC has a toilet bowl and a flushing arrangement by means of which, in a flushing operation, the toilet bowl is supplied with water as a flushing stream in order to flush out the contents of the bowl and to clean the bowl surface. The flushing arrangement has means which, during a flushing operation, use water to clean the bowl surface in a transition region from the bowl to the siphon, the cleaning power of this water being directed specifically at this transition region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Geberit International AG
    Inventors: Urs Inglin, Abdullah Oengoren
  • Patent number: 8756722
    Abstract: The flushing device has a flushing tank (28), from which a quantity of flushing water can be fed to the toilet bowl (6). This flushing water quantity is divided into a part-quantity for cleaning an upper region of the toilet bowl (6) and a further part-quantity for moving water which is present in the toilet bowl (6). Means (30) are provided, with which the flushing water quantity is divided into at least three part-quantities. With a first part-quantity at least an upper region (A) of the inner side of the toilet bowl (6), and with a second part-quantity a middle region (B) of the inner side of the toilet bowl (6) is cleanable, and with a third part-quantity a siphon trap (12) of the toilet bowl (6) can be flushed and cleaned. The flushing device enables a more thorough cleaning of the toilet bowl with comparatively little water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Geberit International AG
    Inventors: Urs Inglin, Reto Lienin
  • Patent number: 8713722
    Abstract: A flushing arrangement for a WC, comprising a toilet bowl which has an inlet and an outlet, there between a U-bend, and pulse generating elements for generating a pulse with which water which is present in the U-bend and forms an air trap is accelerated, for a flushing operation, in the direction of the outlet. The pulse generating elements are arranged in the U-bend and have a plurality of nozzles, or at least one annular gap extending in the circumferential direction of the U-bend. The nozzles or the at least one annular gap generate, in the water in each case, a flow which is directed substantially towards the outlet. The nozzles or the at least one annular gap are arranged directly upstream of an ascending region or in an ascending region of the U-bend.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Geberit International AG
    Inventors: Urs Inglin, Abdullah Oengoren
  • Patent number: 8640272
    Abstract: A flush toilet bowl includes: a bowl portion including a pooling portion in communication with a drain conduit; a rim surface provided above the bowl portion; and a first slit opening configured to spout flush water supplied through a first conduit toward the bowl portion and to spout the supplied flush water in a generally tangential direction of the rim surface, thereby generating a swirling flow flowing forward near a boundary between the rim surface and the bowl portion. A slit opening shape in a cross section generally perpendicular to a flow direction of water flow spouted from the first slit opening is horizontally flattened. There is provided a flush toilet bowl capable of minimizing the overhang of the rim portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Toto Ltd
    Inventors: Tomoaki Morita, Toshifumi Yoneda, Tomohiro Hirakawa
  • Patent number: 8544123
    Abstract: A flush toilet device has a toilet body having a bowl section, rim water discharge opening, a jet water discharge opening, and a discharge water trap conduit. A pressurizing pump is provided for pressurizing flush water contained in a cistern to supply it to the jet water discharge opening. A pump controller regulates the operation and rotation speed of the pressurizing pump to regulate the flow speed and flow rate of flush water discharged from the jet water discharge opening so that flush water at a first flow rate for generating a siphon effect is discharged and then at a second flow rate is discharged at the end of the siphon effect generated by the first flow rate. The second flow rate having a flow speed that can carry away human wastes and causes the siphon effect to continue by closing the cross section of any portion of the discharge water trap conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Toto Ltd.
    Inventors: Mayu Okubo, Yoshikazu Ushijima, Yuichi Sato, Yoshinobu Kato, Ryosuke Hayashi, Shinji Shibata
  • Publication number: 20130185860
    Abstract: When a bowl 20d discharges waste with flush water after temporarily receiving the waste, before the waste is transported from at least the discharge trap conduit 40 by the flush water supplied from a flush water supply hole 30d as flush water supply means, the flush toilet device CSd drives a siphon pump 505d and then drives a return pump 506d before the supply of the flush water has been completed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: TOTO LTD.
    Inventors: Tsubasa Miyake, Konosuke Matsushita, Yusuke Nogoshi, Hirotomo Suyama
  • Patent number: 8438670
    Abstract: A gravity flush toilet system is provides that includes a toilet bowl assembly having a toilet bowl and a tank, wherein the bowl includes a trapway extending from the bottom of the toilet bowl to a sewage line. The toilet system is capable of operating at multiple flush volumes without loss of siphonic function or significant change in the surface area of the water in the bowl. The multiple flush volumes allow the user to select appropriate water usages for the required waste removal without diminishing the performance of the toilet, resulting in significant water savings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: AS IP Holdco, LLC
    Inventors: David Grover, Zheng Chen, James McHale
  • Patent number: 8316475
    Abstract: A siphonic, gravity-powered toilet is provided that includes a toilet bowl assembly having a toilet bowl. The toilet bowl has a rim channel provided along an upper periphery thereof and a direct-fed jet channel that allows fluid, such as water, to flow from the inlet of the toilet bowl assembly to the direct-fed jet outlet port into the interior of the toilet bowl, in the sump of the bowl. The rim channel includes at least one rim channel outlet port. In this toilet, the cross-sectional areas of the toilet bowl assembly inlet, the inlet port to the rim channel, and the outlet port to the direct-fed jet channel are configured so as to be optimized to provide greatly improved hydraulic function at low flush volumes (no greater than about 6.0 liters per flush). The hydraulic function is improved in terms of bulk removal of waste and cleansing of the bowl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: AS IP Holdco, L.L.C.
    Inventor: David Grover
  • Publication number: 20120174310
    Abstract: Siphonic, gravity-powered toilets are provided that include a toilet bowl assembly having a toilet bowl. The toilet bowl has a rim channel provided along an upper periphery thereof and a direct-fed jet channel that allows fluid, such as water, to flow from the inlet of the toilet bowl assembly to the direct-fed jet outlet port into the interior of the toilet bowl, in the sump of the bowl. The rim channel includes at least one rim channel outlet port. In the toilets herein, the cross-sectional areas of the toilet bowl assembly inlet, the inlet port to the rim channel, and the outlet port to the direct-fed jet channel are configured so as to be optimized to provide greatly improved hydraulic function at low flush volumes (no greater than about 6.0 liters per flush). The hydraulic function is improved in terms of bulk removal of waste and cleansing of the bowl.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2011
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicant: AS IP Holdco, LLC
    Inventors: David Grover, Christophe Bucher, Jian Zhou
  • Patent number: 8082605
    Abstract: A low volume hygienic apparatus used a high pressure spray to break up solid waste material in a containment chamber and to push liquid and broken-up solid waste from the containment chamber. A high pressure nozzle is pointed into the containment chamber and configured to break-up the solids using a prescribed pressure level and to propel the liquids and the broken-up solids from a chamber interior through a chamber outlet of the containment chamber. A completing structure is disposed between the chamber outlet and a drain and is configured to draw liquids and broken-up solids from the chamber at the end of a flushing cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Inventor: Dan Marius Andreiu
  • Patent number: 8032956
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of operating a flushing system for efficient waste removal from and cleaning of a toilet bowl. In the disclosed method, a flushing system is provided that includes a pumping means having each of a rim diverter means and a jet diverter means in fluid communication therewith; a sensor means; a control means; a switching means; and a spray means. Activation of the switching means initiates at least a single flush schedule that comprises the steps of initiating operation of the pumping means; opening the jet diverter means for delivery of water to a jet delivery means in fluid communication therewith; subsequently closing the jet diverter means and simultaneously opening the rim diverter means; and directing water from the rim diverter means to a toilet rim in fluid communication therewith for terminal delivery of the water through the spray means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Ideal Standard International BVBA
    Inventors: Aleksandr Prokopenko, Michael Heaton, Pierpaolo Presiren, Antonio Floriduz
  • Patent number: 8011031
    Abstract: A toilet assembly is provided having a bowl assembly having an inlet, a wastewater outlet, and a water supply inlet having an inlet valve. The assembly includes an adjustable metering valve in fluid communication with the inlet valve and the inlet of the bowl assembly, and an accumulator in fluid communication with the inlet valve and disposed upstream of the adjustable metering valve. A fragmentation passage is provided in fluid communication with the wastewater outlet and disposed downstream of the wastewater outlet. The assembly includes jet assembly having an inlet in fluid communication with the inlet valve, and an outlet disposed upstream of the fragmentation passage. The water supply inlet is structured to deliver a quantity of water through the inlet of the bowl assembly, and a quantity of water to the jet assembly to remove wastewater from the fragmentation passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Wabtec Holding Corp.
    Inventors: Charles O. Campbell, William E. Wood
  • Publication number: 20110078850
    Abstract: The WC has a toilet bowl and a flushing arrangement by means of which, in a flushing operation, the toilet bowl is supplied with water as a flushing stream in order to flush out the contents of the bowl and to clean the bowl surface. The flushing arrangement has means which, during a flushing operation, use water to clean the bowl surface in a transition region from the bowl to the siphon, the cleaning power of this water being directed specifically at this transition region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Publication date: April 7, 2011
    Applicant: Geberit International AG
    Inventors: Urs INGLIN, Abdullah Oengören
  • Publication number: 20100242163
    Abstract: The flushing arrangement has a toilet bowl (2) which has an inlet (3) and an outlet (18) and between these, in a U-bend (4), means (12) for generating a pulse. With these means (12), water which is present in the U-bend (4) and forms an air trap can be accelerated, for a flushing operation, in the direction of the outlet (18). The means (12) for generating a pulse have a plurality of nozzles (12, 12?) or at least one annular gap (19) extending in the circumferential direction of the U-bend (4), and these nozzles or this annular gap can be used to generate, in the aforementioned water (13) in each case, a flow which is directed substantially towards the outlet (18). The plurality of nozzles or the at least one annular gap can be used to generate a significantly higher pulse density than has been the case hitherto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: Geberit International AG
    Inventors: Urs Inglin, Abdullah Oengören
  • Patent number: 7721359
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vacuum breaker having further enhanced reliability. The vacuum breaker comprises: a main body having a water inlet (26, 41), a water outlet (34, 48), a water passage (30, 44) for fluidically connecting the water inlet and the water outlet, and a first ambient-air intake port (36, 50) and a second ambient-air intake port (37, 49) for allowing the water passage to fluidically communicate with ambient air therethrough; a first valve element (28, 42); and a second valve element (32, 46) disposed downstream of the first valve element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Toto Ltd.
    Inventors: Haruo Tsutsui, Tsutomu Kido, Yukinori Kubozono
  • Patent number: 7661153
    Abstract: A flush toilet that uses a prescribed amount of cleansing water stored in a cleansing water tank to cleanse the toilet and discharge waste is disclosed. The flush toilet includes a bowl having a waste receiving surface, an overhanging rim and a shelf, a drainage channel whose inlet is connected to the bottom of the bowl for discharging waste, a first water spouting section for spouting cleansing water onto the shelf of the bowl to form a vortex; a second water spouting section for spouting cleansing water onto shelf of the bowl in the same direction as the swirling direction of the vortex, a first water channel for supplying cleansing water from the cleansing water tank to the first water spouting section, and a second water channel for supplying cleansing water from the cleansing water tank to the second water spouting section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Toto Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Nakamura, Tsuyoshi Ozeki, Toshifumi Yoneda, Tomoyasu Ichiki, Hiroshi Tomonari, Kyoji Asada, Katsuhiro Kawakami
  • Publication number: 20090241250
    Abstract: A siphonic, gravity-powered toilet is provided that includes a toilet bowl assembly having a toilet bowl. The toilet bowl has a rim channel provided along an upper periphery thereof and a direct-fed jet channel that allows fluid, such as water, to flow from the inlet of the toilet bowl assembly to the direct-fed jet outlet port into the interior of the toilet bowl, in the sump of the bowl. The rim channel includes at least one rim channel outlet port. In this toilet, the cross-sectional areas of the toilet bowl assembly inlet, the inlet port to the rim channel, and the outlet port to the direct-fed jet channel are configured so as to be optimized to provide greatly improved hydraulic function at low flush volumes (no greater than about 6.0 liters per flush). The hydraulic function is improved in terms of bulk removal of waste and cleansing of the bowl.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: AS IP Holdco, L.L.C.
    Inventor: David Grover
  • Publication number: 20080271234
    Abstract: A siphon jet toilet for supplying flush water in a storage tank by using the head pressure thereof is disclosed. The siphon jet toilet has a toilet main unit furnished with a bowl portion, a rim water spout, a drain trap passage for expelling waste using siphon action, a jet water spout opening formed at a position opposite the inlet of the drain trap passage, a rim water channel for supplying flush water to the rim water spout opening, and a jet water channel for supplying flush water to the jet water channel. The jet water channel includes a plurality of branched water conduits, a merging portion for causing flush water from the plurality of branched water conduits to merge and swirl toward the jet water spout opening and a flow aligner for aligning the flow of flush water merged in the merging portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2008
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Applicant: TOTO LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Okada, Shinji Shibata, Akira Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 7392550
    Abstract: A muffling apparatus capable of attaining the prevention of the occurrence of a noise reliably while making concrete the reduction of the manufacturing cost and the easiness of the assembling of the same apparatus, and a feed water apparatus having such a muffling effect are provided. The muffling apparatus 2 is an apparatus connected to a jet pipe 1 adapted to send out the water, which flows in a feed water passage 1a in the interior thereof, into storage water W.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Inax Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Miwa, Kenichi Ito
  • Patent number: 7325258
    Abstract: Providing a flush toilet wherein the amount of water supplied to the jet hole and the amount of water supplied to the rim section are independently controlled. The present invention is a flush toilet (1) for supplying flushwater from a flushwater tank, the flush toilet comprising a bowl section (2) at the bottom portion of which is formed a jet hole; a jet flushwater tank (10) for storing flushwater to be supplied from the jet hole; a jet drain valve (14) disposed on the jet flushwater tank; a jet water conduit (18) for conducting flushwater which has passed through the jet drain valve to the jet hole; a rim section (4) disposed on the upper portion of the bowl section; a rim flushwater tank (8) for storing flushwater supplied to the rim section; a rim drain valve (12) disposed on the rim flushwater tank; and a rim water conduit (16) for conducting flushwater passed through the rim drain valve to the rim section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Toto Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyoji Asada, Toshifumi Yoneda, Tomohiro Hirakawa
  • Patent number: 7305721
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to enable provision of a toilet device in which a user can select a necessary toilet wash mode whenever necessary. According to the present invention, in a toilet device which comprises: water supply means for supplying water to a rim water supply portion for flushing wash water to a bowl face of a toilet and to a jet water supply portion for orienting a trap drainage portion of the toilet; and control means for controlling operation of the water supply means, wherein said control means has a toilet wash mode for discharging a stool, and two or more toilet wash modes besides the above mode, and wherein the toilet device is provided with an operation switch for enabling selection of the two or more toilet wash modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Toto Ltd.
    Inventors: Minoru Matsui, Tomokazu Goda, Motoshi Mase, Katsuhiro Egami
  • Patent number: 7111333
    Abstract: A toilet includes a bowl having a receiving portion, a converging portion in front of the receiving portion, an injecting portion and an inlet portion at opposite ends of the converging portion, and a discharging pipe behind the receiving portion and communicated with the receiving portion. The bowl has an inlet at an end thereof to communicate outside, two down tunnels on opposite side of the bowl with ends communicated with the inlet and ends extended downwards to a position in front of the receiving portion. Each of down tunnels has a U-turn section that the down tunnels have inward U-turns and are communicated with the converging portion, such that water flowing through the down tunnels will converge together in the converging portion for injecting to the discharging pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: Globe Union Industrial Corp.
    Inventors: Tsung-Yi Lo, Jin-Yi Wang
  • Patent number: 6986172
    Abstract: A flush toilet comprises a toilet body having a bowl for storing wash water as water seal, first means for supplying the toilet body with pressurized wash water and second means for discharging the wash water substantially horizontally along the upper peripheral portion of the inner surface of the bowl to swirl it along the inner surface of the bowl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2006
    Assignee: Toto, Ltd.
    Inventors: Miyahara Hidetaka, Noda Shosaku, Shimbara Noboru, Shibata Shinji, Shinkawa Masahiro, Matsuo Nobusuke