Kinetic trapway

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10190303-B2
Application number	US-201615345108-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 7, 2016
Priority date	Jun 27, 2008
Publication date	Jan 29, 2019
Grant date	Jan 29, 2019

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A toilet having an outlet trapway that is movable during a flushing cycle, the toilet comprising:
a toilet bowl having an opening adjacent its lower end;
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; and
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;
wherein the water supply comprises a water tank, and the condition of the water supply is a level of water in the water tank.

2. The toilet of claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a float which follows the level of water in the water tank, the float being mechanically linked to a downstream end of the conduit.

3. The toilet of claim 2 , wherein buoyancy of the float can hold the conduit in the first position when the water tank has a level of water that is at a normal fill level of the tank.

4. The toilet of claim 1 , wherein there is a flexible joint connecting the opening and the conduit.

5. The toilet of claim 4 , further comprising an outlet stack positioned adjacent a downstream end of the conduit at least when the conduit is in the second position.

6. The toilet of claim 1 , wherein the trapway is comprised of a rigid material.

7. The toilet of claim 1 , wherein movement of the trapway is achieved without requiring an electrical power source linked to the toilet.

8. A toilet comprising:
a base comprising:
a bowl defining an opening at a lower end thereof; and
an outlet stack defining a cavity behind the bowl, the outlet stack configured to be coupled, at an outlet thereof, to a sewer waste line;

a conduit disposed in the outlet stack and fluidly coupled to the opening;
a tank configured to supply water to the bowl; and
a float disposed in the tank, the float mechanically linked to the conduit, such that the conduit is configured to swivel as the float moves in the tank;
wherein the float is configured to move within the tank in response to the water level in the tank.

9. The toilet of claim 8 , wherein the float is mechanically linked to the conduit at a downstream end thereof.

10. The toilet of claim 8 , wherein the conduit is configured to swivel between a first position and a second position;
wherein in the first position, a downstream end of the conduit is in a substantially upward position; and
wherein in the second position, the downstream end of the conduit is in a less upward position than in the first position.

11. The toilet of claim 10 , wherein in the second position, the downstream end of the conduit is in a substantially downward position.

12. The toilet of claim 10 , wherein in the first position, a water level in each of the bowl and conduit are configured to form a water seal.

13. The toilet of claim 10 , wherein in the first position, the tank is filled with water at a normal fill level and the float is floating in the water.

14. The toilet of claim 13 , wherein in the second position, the water level is below the normal fill level and the float is lower than in the first position.

15. A method of flushing a toilet comprising:
forming a water seal between a bowl and a conduit disposed at an outlet of the bowl;
activating a flush cycle in a tank;
lowering a float in the tank in response to a water level in the tank; and
lowering a downstream end of a conduit by lowering a float in the tank;
wherein the float is mechanically linked to the conduit.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising raising the downstream end of the conduit by raising the position of the float in the tank.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising swiveling the conduit about a flexible joint disposed between the conduit and the outlet of the bowl.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein gravity pulls the downstream end of the conduit into a downward position.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the downstream end of the conduit is in an upward position when the tank is filled to a normal level.

Assignees

• Kohler Co

Inventors

• Sudip Mukerji

Classifications

• E03D5/012

  combined with movable closure elements in the bowl outlet (bowls with closure elements between bottom or outlet and outlet pipe E03D11/10) · CPC title

• E03D1/33

  Adaptations or arrangements of floats (actuating-floats in general F16K33/00) · CPC title

• E03D5/022

  Operating automatically (E03D5/10 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E03D3/00

  Flushing devices operated by pressure of the water supply system {flushing valves not connected to the water-supply main, also if air is blown in the water seal for a quick flushing} · CPC title

• E03D11/10 Primary

  Bowls with closure elements provided between bottom or outlet and the outlet pipe; Bowls with pivotally supported inserts · CPC title