Toilet coupling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10738448-B2
Application number	US-201816201413-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 27, 2018
Priority date	Dec 4, 2017
Publication date	Aug 11, 2020
Grant date	Aug 11, 2020

Abstract

A toilet that includes a tank having an outlet; a mounting bracket including a base having a central opening, a first set of mounts, which comprises two mounting locations located on opposite sides of the central opening for mounting the tank to a first pedestal having a bowl and two mounting holes, and a second set of mounts, which comprises three mounting locations that are separate from the two mounting locations of the first set of mounts, are located in a triangular pattern around the central opening, and mount the tank to a second pedestal having a bowl and three mounting holes; a valve body extending through the outlet and the central opening, wherein the valve body fluidly connects the outlet to an inlet of one of the bowls; and two or more fasteners with each fastener engaging one mounting hole and an associated mounting location.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A toilet comprising:
a tank having an outlet in a bottom;
a universal mounting bracket comprising:
a base having a central opening;
a first set of mounting locations, which comprises two mounting locations that are located on opposite sides of the central opening and are configured to mount the tank to a first pedestal having a bowl and two mounting holes;
a second set of mounting locations, which comprises first, second, and third mounting locations that are separate from the two mounting locations of the first set of mounting locations, are located in a triangular pattern around the central opening, and are configured to mount the tank to a second pedestal having a bowl and three mounting holes;
a first tab located on a front side of the base that is opposite the third mounting location;
a second tab located on a first side of the base that is adjacent to the third mounting location; and
a third tab located on a second side of the base that is adjacent to the third mounting location;

a valve body extending through the outlet and the central opening, wherein the valve body is configured to fluidly connect the outlet of the tank to an inlet of one of the bowls; and
two or more fasteners with each fastener engaging one mounting hole and an associated mounting location to secure the mounting bracket to associated pedestal.

2. The toilet of claim 1 , wherein a first mounting location of the first set of mounting locations is located adjacent to the first mounting location of the second set of mounting locations, and a second mounting location of the first set of mounting locations is located adjacent to the second mounting location of the second set of mounting locations.

3. The toilet of claim 2 , wherein the third mounting location of the second set of mounting locations is located adjacent to a rearward edge of the base.

4. The toilet of claim 1 , wherein the third mounting location is substantially aligned with a center of the central opening in a fore and aft direction.

5. The toilet of claim 4 , wherein the first and second mounting locations of the first set of mounting locations are substantially aligned with the center of the central opening in a lateral direction.

6. The toilet of claim 5 , wherein the first and second mounting locations of the second set of mounting locations are provided forward of the first and second mounting locations of the first set of mounting locations in the fore and aft direction.

7. The toilet of claim 6 , wherein the mounting bracket further comprises an arm extending away from the base, wherein the arm is configured to couple to a toilet seat through a hinge that movably connects the toilet seat to the mounting bracket.

8. The toilet of claim 1 , wherein the mounting bracket comprises an arm extending away from the base, wherein the arm is configured to couple to a toilet seat through a hinge that movably connects the toilet seat to the mounting bracket.

9. The toilet of claim 8 , wherein the arm is a first arm and the mounting bracket further comprises a second arm, which is spaced apart from the first arm in a lateral direction, wherein the first arm extends from a first side of a forward portion of the base, which is proximate a first mounting location of the second set of mounting locations, wherein the second arm extends from a second side of the forward portion of the base, which is proximate a second mounting location of the second set of mounting locations, and wherein each arm is configured to couple to the toilet seat through an associated hinge.

10. A toilet comprising:
a tank;
a pedestal having a ledge, a bowl, and an inlet fluidly connected to the bowl;
a universal mounting bracket comprising:
a base having at least two mounting locations; and
an arm extending away from the base;

a fastener engaging each mounting location of the mounting bracket and an associated mounting hole in the ledge to secure the mounting bracket to the pedestal;
a seat movably coupled to the arm through a hinge, such that the seat is movable relative to the mounting bracket and pedestal; and
a valve body that is fixed relative to the base of the mounting bracket.

11. The toilet of claim 10 , wherein the valve body extends through an outlet of the tank and a central opening in the base of the mounting bracket, wherein the valve body is configured to fluidly connect the outlet to the inlet of the pedestal.

12. The toilet of claim 11 , wherein the valve body threads to threads defining the central opening in the base.

13. The toilet of claim 11 , wherein the arm is a first arm and the mounting bracket further comprises a second arm, which is spaced apart from the first arm in a lateral direction, wherein the first arm extends from a first side of a forward portion of the mounting bracket, wherein the second arm extends from a second side of the forward portion, and wherein each arm is configured to couple to the seat through an associated hinge.

14. The toilet of claim 13 , wherein the mounting bracket includes a flange that extends around at least a portion of the base, and the forward portion is part of the flange.

15. The toilet of claim 13 , wherein the at least two mounting locations comprises:
a first set of mounting locations comprising two mounting locations that are located on opposite sides of the central opening and are configured to mount the tank to a two mount pedestal having two mounting holes; and
a second set of mounting locations comprising three mounting locations that are separate from the two mounting locations of the first set of mounting locations, are located in a triangular pattern around the central opening, and are configured to mount the tank to a three mount pedestal having three mounting holes.

16. The toilet of claim 15 , wherein the first side of the forward portion of the base is located proximate a first mounting location of the second set of mounting locations, and the second side of the forward portion of the base is located proximate a second mounting location of the second set of mounting locations.

17. A toilet, comprising:
a tank;
a pedestal having a ledge, a bowl, and an inlet fluidly connected to the bowl;
a universal mounting bracket comprising:
a base having at least two mounting locations; and
an arm extending away from the base;

a fastener engaging each mounting location of the mounting bracket and an associated mounting hole in the ledge to secure the mounting bracket to the pedestal;
a seat movably coupled to the arm through a hinge, such that the seat is movable relative to the mounting bracket and pedestal; and
a valve body extending through an outlet of the tank and a central opening in the base of the mounting bracket, wherein the valve body is configured to fluidly connect the outlet to the inlet of the pedestal,
wherein the mounting bracket comprises a sleeve that extends away from a bottom of the base and toward the inlet of the pedestal, and wherein the valve body threads to the sleeve to secure the valve body and the tank to the mounting bracket.

18. A toilet, comprising:
a tank;
a pedestal having a ledge, a bowl, and an inlet fluidly connected to the bowl;
a universal mounting bracket comprising:
a base having at least two mounting locations; and
an arm extending away from the base;

a fastener engaging each mounting location of the mounting bracket and an associated mounting hole in the ledge to secure the mounting bracket to the pedestal;
a seat movably coupled to the arm through a hinge, such that the seat

Assignees

• Kohler Co

Inventors

• Swart Peter William
• Emmerling John F
• Krebs Scott R
• Ahola Billy Jack
• Smith Andrew L
• Duwell Lawrence E
• Bogenschuetz Donald G

Classifications

• E03D11/17

  Means for connecting the bowl to the flushing pipe · CPC title

• E03D1/26 Primary

  Bowl with flushing cistern mounted on the rearwardly extending end of the bowl (shape or material of the cistern E03D1/01; constructional features of the bowl E03D11/02 - E03D11/12) · CPC title