Universal flapper

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10577786-B2
Application number	US-201815890255-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 6, 2018
Priority date	Feb 6, 2017
Publication date	Mar 3, 2020
Grant date	Mar 3, 2020

Abstract

Some embodiments include a fluid control assembly with a flapper canister, a linkage rotatably coupled to the flapper canister and to a support of a mount. In some embodiments, the flapper canister can be angled with respect to the mount to enable the flapper canister to be coupled to various sizes, types and orientations of flush valves. In some embodiments, by rotating the linkage about pivots coupled to the flapper canister and the support and pivoting or rotating about a motion-enabling element coupling the mount and a support, the flapper canister can be raised, lowered, and/or rotated or pivoted enabling the flapper canister to be sealed against a flush valve orifice. In some embodiments, the flapper canister includes a buoyancy control tube providing fluid coupling between one side of the flapper canister to an opposite side and enabling buoyancy-assist to the position or motion of the flapper canister.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fluid valve control assembly comprising:
a flapper coupled to a linkage assembly, the linkage assembly comprising:
at least one extension coupled or integrated with the flapper;
at least one first connector coupled to the at least one extension;
at least one linkage rotatably coupled to the at least one first connector at one end, and to at least one second connector at an opposite end, the at least one second connector rotatably coupled to a support of a mount;

at least one flush valve comprising a top orifice;
wherein the flapper and the at least one extension are configured and arranged to be raised, lowered, and/or pivoted by rotating the at least one linkage about the at least one first connector and the at least one second connector;
wherein the linkage assembly is configured to enable the flapper to remain substantially parallel to the top orifice as the flapper is raised and lowered; and
wherein in the lowered position, the flapper is configured and arranged to prevent a fluid flow into the top orifice.

2. The fluid valve control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the flapper comprises a flapper canister.

3. The fluid valve control assembly of claim 2 , wherein the flapper is at least partially hollow.

4. The fluid valve control assembly of claim 2 , wherein the flapper canister has an open bottom end.

5. The fluid valve control assembly of claim 2 , wherein the bottom end of the flapper canister comprises a flange dimensioned to be positioned over an orifice of a flush valve.

6. The fluid valve control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the mount is configured as an overflow tube mount and configured to be mounted to an overflow tube.

7. The fluid valve control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one linkage comprises at least one pair of bars.

8. The fluid valve control assembly of claim 7 , wherein at least two bars of the at least one pairs of bars are substantially parallel.

9. The fluid valve control assembly of claim 8 , wherein the at least two bars are configured and arranged to remain parallel when rotating the at least one linkage about the at least one first connector and the at least one second connector.

10. The fluid valve control assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an adjustment screw positioned through an aperture of the support, the adjustment screw coupled to the mount.

11. The fluid valve control assembly of claim 10 , wherein the support is coupled to the mount by a hinge, the hinge configured and arranged to enable the support to rotate or pivot about the hinge.

12. The fluid valve control assembly of claim 11 , wherein upon rotation of the adjustment screw, the support is configured and arranged to move along a thread of the adjustment screw and to rotate or pivot about the hinge, the movement resulting in a change of the angle of the flapper with respect to the mount or any surface or structure to which the mount is mounted.

13. The fluid valve control assembly of claim 11 , wherein the hinge comprises a living hinge.

14. The fluid valve control assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an overflow tube extending upwardly from the flush valve.

15. The fluid valve control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the flapper includes a flange.

16. The fluid valve control assembly of claim 15 , wherein the flange is configured to at least partially seal a flush valve orifice when the flapper lowered using the linkage assembly.

17. The fluid valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the flapper includes a buoyancy control tube extending from an upper surface of the flapper, the buoyancy control tube providing a fluid coupling between one side of the flapper to an opposite side.

18. The fluid valve assembly of claim 17 , wherein the buoyancy control tube is configured to provide a buoyancy-assist to the position or motion of the flapper.

19. A fluid control assembly comprising:
a flapper canister;
at least one linkage rotatably coupled to the flapper canister and a support of a mount;
an adjustment screw positioned coupled to the mount and through the support;
wherein the flapper canister is configured and arranged to be raised, lowered, and/or pivoted by rotating the at least one linkage about pivots coupled to the flapper canister and the support; and
wherein upon rotation of the adjustment screw, the support is configured and arranged to move along a thread of the adjustment screw resulting in a change of an angle of the flapper canister with respect to the mount.

20. The assembly of claim 19 , wherein the at least one linkage comprises at least one pair of bars.

21. The assembly of claim 20 , wherein at least two bars of the at least one pairs of bars are substantially parallel and remain substantially parallel when rotating the at least one linkage about the pivots.

22. The assembly of claim 19 , further comprising a flush valve having an open top orifice and an open bottom orifice, and an overflow tube extending upwardly from the flush valve; wherein the at least one linkage is configured to enable the flapper canister to remain substantially parallel to the open top orifice of the flush valve as the flapper canister is raised and lowered.

23. The assembly of claim 19 , wherein the support is coupled to the mount by a motion-providing assembly, the motion providing assembly configured and arranged to enable the support to rotate or pivot with respect to the mount.

24. The assembly of claim 23 , wherein the motion-providing assembly comprises at least one of a conventional hinge, a living hinge, a screw, an axle, a pivot, a link, a bearing, and a roller.

25. The assembly of claim 19 , wherein the flapper canister includes a buoyancy control tube extending from an upper surface of the flapper canister, the buoyancy control tube providing a fluid coupling between one side of the flapper canister to an opposite side.

26. The assembly of claim 25 , wherein the buoyancy control tube is configured to provide a buoyancy-assist to the position or motion of the flapper canister.

Assignees

• Fluidmaster

Inventors

• Le Tuan

Classifications

• F16K21/16

  closing after a predetermined quantity of fluid has been delivered (F16K21/10 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E03D1/35 Primary

  Flushing valves having buoyancy · CPC title

• E03D1/33

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

• F16K31/24

  with a transmission with parts linked together from a single float to a single valve · CPC title