Toilet valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10934698-B1
Application number	US-201916686328-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Nov 18, 2019
Priority date	Mar 11, 2004
Publication date	Mar 2, 2021
Grant date	Mar 2, 2021

Abstract

According to various embodiments, a toilet system includes a toilet fill valve and a bowl fill valve that is configured to attach directly to the toilet fill valve. The toilet fill valve can include a body having an extended portion that forms a bowl fill outlet port, a water inlet configured to couple to a water source, and a tank water outlet configured to output water to a toilet tank. The bowl fill valve can include a bowl fill valve inlet port that is configured to mate directly to the bowl fill outlet port of the body of the toilet fill valve, a bowl fill valve outlet port, a protrusion configured to insert into a recess of the toilet fill valve and retain the bowl fill valve to the toilet fill valve, a slot that is configured to receive an extension of the toilet fill valve, and a water flow adjustment handle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A toilet system, comprising:
a toilet fill valve that comprises:
a body comprising an extended portion that forms a bowl fill outlet port;
a water inlet configured to couple to a water source; and
a tank water outlet configured to output water to a toilet tank;

a bowl fill valve configured to attach directly to the body of the toilet fill valve, the bowl fill valve comprising:
a bowl fill valve inlet port configured to mate directly to the bowl fill outlet port of the body of the toilet fill valve;
a bowl fill valve outlet port;
a protrusion configured to insert into a recess of the toilet fill valve and retain the bowl fill valve to the toilet fill valve, the protrusion being configured to snap fit into the recess;
a water flow adjustment handle; and
a slot configured to receive an extension of the toilet fill valve and prevent rotation of the bowl fill valve relative to the toilet fill valve; and

a tube configured to attach directly to the bowl fill valve outlet port of the bowl fill valve.

2. The toilet system of claim 1 , wherein the bowl fill outlet port comprises a male end, and wherein the bowl fill valve inlet port comprises a female receptacle for the male end of the bowl fill outlet port.

3. The toilet system of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion of the bowl fill valve is an annular protrusion located on a bowl fill valve side wall of the bowl fill valve, wherein the recess of the toilet fill valve is an annular recess located on a bowl fill outlet port side wall of the bowl fill outlet port, wherein the slot of the bowl fill valve is located on the bowl fill valve side wall, and wherein the extension of the toilet fill valve is a rib on the bowl fill outlet port side wall.

4. The toilet system of claim 1 , wherein the bowl fill outlet port extends radially from a longitudinal axis of the body of the toilet fill valve.

5. The toilet system of claim 4 , wherein the toilet fill valve further comprises an actuation arm that extends radially from the longitudinal axis of the body of the toilet fill valve, and wherein the actuation arm is angularly offset relative to the bowl fill outlet port.

6. The toilet system of claim 1 , wherein the toilet fill valve further comprises a float configured to move along at least a portion of the body of the toilet fill valve.

7. The toilet system of claim 6 , wherein the at least a portion of the body of the toilet fill valve extends through the float.

8. A bowl fill valve, comprising:
a bowl fill valve inlet port configured to mate directly to a bowl fill outlet port of a body of a toilet fill valve;
a bowl fill valve outlet port configured to attach directly to a tube that provides water from the bowl fill valve outlet port to an overflow tube;
a protrusion configured to insert into a recess of the toilet fill valve and retain the bowl fill valve to the toilet fill valve, the protrusion being configured to snap fit into the recess;
a slot configured to receive an extension of the toilet fill valve and prevent rotation of the bowl fill valve relative to the toilet fill valve; and
a water flow adjustment handle being configured to adjust water flow from the bowl fill valve inlet port to the bowl fill valve outlet port.

9. The bowl fill valve of claim 8 , wherein the bowl fill valve inlet port comprises a female receptacle for a male end of the bowl fill outlet port.

10. A method, comprising:
coupling a water inlet of a toilet fill valve to a water source;
attaching a bowl fill valve directly to a body of the toilet fill valve by at least:
mating a bowl fill valve inlet port of the bowl fill valve directly to a bowl fill outlet port that extends from the body of the toilet fill valve;
snap fitting a protrusion of the bowl fill valve into a recess of the toilet fill valve; and
inserting an extension of the toilet fill valve into a slot of the bowl fill valve, wherein the slot is configured to prevent rotation of the bowl fill valve relative to the toilet fill valve; and

attaching a tube directly to a bowl fill valve outlet port of the bowl fill valve.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising adjusting a flow of water out of the bowl fill valve.

12. A bowl fill valve, comprising:
a bowl fill valve inlet port configured to mate directly to a bowl fill outlet port of a body of a toilet fill valve;
a bowl fill valve outlet port configured to attach directly to a tube that provides water from the bowl fill valve outlet port to an overflow tube;
a protrusion on the bowl fill valve configured to snap fit into a recess of the toilet fill valve and retain the bowl fill valve to the toilet fill valve;
a slot configured to receive an extension of the toilet fill valve and prevent rotation of the bowl fill valve relative to the toilet fill valve; and
means for adjusting water flow out of the bowl fill valve outlet port.

13. The bowl fill valve of claim 12 , wherein the means for adjusting water flow out of the bowl fill valve outlet port comprises an adjustment handle.

14. The toilet system of claim 1 , wherein the bowl fill valve inlet port is configured to be inserted within a portion of the bowl fill outlet port.

Assignees

• Danco Inc

Inventors

• Schuster Michael J
• Schneider Larry

Classifications

• F16K21/18

  closed when a rising liquid reaches a predetermined level (float-actuated valves F16K31/18) · CPC title

• F16K5/0492

  Easy mounting or dismounting means · CPC title

• B23P15/001

  valves or valve housings (welding B23K; valve housings per se F16K) · CPC title

• E03D1/32 Primary

  Arrangement of inlet valves (devices for reducing noise E03D9/14 {; noise-reducing means E03D11/00}) · CPC title

• E03D1/34 Primary

  Flushing valves for outlets; Arrangement of outlet valves · CPC title