Toilet fill valve with valve lock

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11091902-B2
Application number	US-202016820563-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2020
Priority date	Apr 21, 2006
Publication date	Aug 17, 2021
Grant date	Aug 17, 2021

Abstract

Disclosed are various embodiments of a lockable toilet fill valve and methods according to the present invention. In one embodiment, a toilet fill valve includes a float/arm assembly. The toilet fill valve is closed when the float/arm assembly is disposed in a first position. The toilet fill valve being open when the float/arm assembly is disposed in a second position. A shuttle switch is associated with the float/arm assembly. The shuttle switch includes an unlock position and a lock position, wherein the shuttle switch fixes the float/arm assembly in the first position when the shuttle switch is in the lock position.

First claim

At least the following is claimed:

1. A lockable toilet fill valve, comprising:
a toilet fill valve comprising a float/arm assembly, the toilet fill valve configured to be closed in response to the float/arm assembly being in a first position, and the toilet fill valve configured to be open in response to the float/arm assembly being in a second position; and
a shuttle switch configured to engage in an unlock position and a lock position, the shuttle switch restricting the float/arm assembly when in the lock position and allowing movement of the float/arm assembly when the in the unlock position, the shuttle switch configured to change positions by moving horizontally along a longitudinal axis of the shuttle switch.

2. The lockable toilet fill valve of claim 1 , wherein the shuttle switch changes positions by moving towards and away from the float/arm assembly.

3. The lockable toilet fill valve of claim 1 , wherein the shuttle switch engages a back portion of the float/arm assembly to place the float/arm assembly in the first or second positions.

4. The lockable toilet fill valve of claim 1 , wherein the shuttle switch comprises a protrusion configured to engage a stop of the toilet fill valve.

5. The lockable toilet fill valve of claim 4 , wherein the protrusion engages an inside portion of the stop to maintain a closed state of the toilet fill valve.

6. The lockable toilet fill valve of claim 4 , wherein the protrusion abuts an outside portion of the stop to maintain an open state of the toilet fill valve.

7. The lockable toilet fill valve of claim 1 , wherein the shuttle switch is biased into predefined positions.

8. The lockable toilet fill valve of claim 1 , wherein the shuttle switch causes the float/arm assembly to be pressed forward and in an upward position when the shuttle switch is in the lock position.

9. The lockable toilet fill valve of claim 1 , wherein the shuttle switch comprises an extension that prevents the shuttle switch from being pulled out of the toilet fill valve.

10. A method of operating a toilet fill valve comprising a float/arm assembly and a shuttle switch configured to engage in a lock position and an unlock position, the method comprising the steps of:
positioning the float/arm assembly in a first position to close the toilet fill valve;
moving the shuttle switch into the lock position, thereby restricting movement of the float/arm assembly in the first position, the step of moving the shuttle switch into the lock position further comprising moving the shuttle switch toward the float/arm assembly;
moving the shuttle switch into the unlock position, thereby allowing movement of the float/arm assembly, the step of moving the shuttle switch into the unlock position further comprises moving the shuttle switch away from the float/arm assembly; and
positioning the float/arm assembly in the second position to open the toilet fill valve.

11. The method of operating the toilet fill valve of claim 10 , wherein the step of moving the shuttle switch into the lock position further comprises engaging a protrusion of the shuttle switch with an inside portion of a stop of the toilet fill valve.

12. The method of operating the toilet fill valve of claim 10 , wherein the step of moving the shuttle switch into the unlock position further comprises abutting a protrusion of the shuttle switch against an outside portion of a stop of the toilet fill valve.

13. The method of operating the toilet fill valve of claim 10 , wherein the step of moving the shuttle switch into the lock position further comprises engaging the shuttle switch with the float/arm assembly so that the float/arm assembly is pressed forward and in an upward position.

14. A system comprising:
a toilet fill valve comprising a float/arm assembly, the toilet fill valve configured to close in response to the float/arm assembly moving to a first position and to open in response to the float/arm assembly moving to a second position; and
a shuttle switch associated with the float/arm assembly, wherein the shuttle switch is biased into predefined positions and configured to restrict movement of the float/arm assembly when the shuttle switch is in a lock position, the shuttle switch configured to be in the lock position by moving horizontally toward the float/arm assembly along a longitudinal axis of the shuttle switch.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the shuttle switch shifts between the lock position and an unlock position by moving towards and away from the float/arm assembly.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the shuttle switch is biased to the lock position.

17. The system of claim 14 , wherein the shuttle switch further comprises a protrusion configured to engage a stop of the toilet fill valve when in the lock position.

18. The system of claim 14 , wherein the shuttle switch restricts the movement of the float/arm assembly by holding the float/arm assembly forward and in an upward position.

Assignees

• Danco Inc

Inventors

• Schuster Michael J
• Schneider Larry L

Classifications

• Y10T137/7439

  Float arm operated valve · CPC title

• F16K35/00

  Means to prevent accidental or unauthorised actuation · CPC title

• E03D1/32 Primary

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

• F16K31/18

  actuated by a float (floats F16K33/00; float-actuated valves in steam-traps F16T1/20, in boilers F22D5/08) · CPC title

• F16K35/025

  said actuating element being operated manually (e.g. a push-button located in the valve actuator) · CPC title