Modular fluid valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11142898-B2
Application number	US-201916388689-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 18, 2019
Priority date	Apr 18, 2018
Publication date	Oct 12, 2021
Grant date	Oct 12, 2021

Abstract

A fluid valve with a modular and/or replaceable fluid control assembly is disclosed, and is configured and arranged to require maintenance over a product life of the fluid valve. The modular and/or replaceable fluid control assembly includes at least one portion including a setting or presetting configured and arranged to control fluid flow behavior in the fluid valve. The setting or presetting is useable to control fluid flow in the modular and/or replaceable fluid control assembly after an upgrade or replacement of at least a portion of the modular and/or replaceable fluid control assembly. Further, the setting or presetting enables the modular and/or replaceable fluid control assembly to retain the fluid flow behavior following one or more upgrades or replacements of one or more portions of the modular and/or replaceable fluid control assembly.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A flush and inlet valve assembly comprising:
a fill manifold structure,
a fill level sensor, and
a replaceable fill valve module;
wherein the fill manifold structure is configured to be coupled to a base of a toilet tank;
wherein the fill manifold structure is configured to receive fluid from a fluid supply line;
wherein the fill level sensor is coupled to the fill manifold structure;
wherein the fill level sensor comprises at least one setting or presetting configured to control fluid flow from the fill manifold to the replaceable fill valve module;
wherein the replaceable fill valve module is removably coupled to the at least one fill manifold structure;
wherein the fill level sensor is configured to remain coupled to the fill manifold structure when the replaceable fill valve module is decoupled from the fill manifold structure; and
wherein the fill manifold structure is configured to remain coupled to the toilet tank when the replaceable fill valve module is decoupled from the fill manifold structure.

2. The flush and inlet valve assembly of claim 1 ,
the fill manifold structure further comprising a diverter valve, and
the fill manifold structure further comprising at least two flow channels;
wherein the diverter valve is positioned between the at least two flow channels and the replaceable fill valve module;
wherein the diverter valve is configured to control a specific amount of fluid to the tank relative to a toilet bowl.

3. The flush and inlet valve assembly of claim 1 ,
wherein the replaceable fill valve module is removably coupled to the top of the fill manifold structure; and
wherein the top of the fill manifold structure is configured to be distal from the base of the toilet tank.

4. The flush and inlet valve assembly of claim 1 ,
wherein the fill level sensor is configured to control a toilet tank refill level;
wherein the fill level sensor is configured to be variably positioned on the fill manifold structure.

5. The flush and inlet valve assembly of claim 1 ,
further comprising a flush level sensor;
wherein the flush level sensor is configured to control the volume of fluid flushed from the toilet tank to a toilet bowl.

6. The flush and inlet valve assembly of claim 5 ,
wherein the fill level sensor is configured to control a toilet tank refill level;
wherein the fill level sensor is configured to be variably positioned on the fill manifold structure; and
wherein the flush level sensor is configured to be variably positioned on the fill manifold structure.

7. A flush and inlet valve assembly comprising:
a fill manifold structure,
a flush level sensor, and
a replaceable flush valve module;
wherein the fill manifold structure is configured to be coupled to a base of a toilet tank;
wherein the fill manifold structure is configured to receive fluid from a fluid supply line;
wherein the flush level sensor is coupled to the fill manifold structure;
wherein the flush level sensor comprises at least one setting or presetting configured to control fluid flow from the fill manifold to the replaceable fill valve module;
wherein the replaceable flush valve module is configured to be removably coupled to a flush outlet;
wherein the replaceable flush valve module is configured to channel water through the flush outlet to a toilet bowl;
wherein the flush level sensor is configured to remain coupled to the fill manifold structure when the replaceable flush valve module is decoupled from the flush outlet; and
wherein the fill manifold structure is configured to remain coupled to the toilet tank when the replaceable flush valve module is decoupled from the flush outlet.

8. The flush and inlet valve assembly of claim 7 ,
the fill manifold structure further comprising a diverter valve, and
the fill manifold structure further comprising at least two flow channels;
wherein the diverter valve is positioned between the at least two flow channels and a replaceable fill valve module; and
wherein the diverter valve is configured to control a specific amount of fluid to the tank relative to the toilet bowl.

9. The flush and inlet valve assembly of claim 8 ,
wherein the replaceable fill valve module is removably coupled to the top of the fill manifold structure; and
wherein the top of the fill manifold structure is configured to be distal from the base of the toilet tank.

10. The flush and inlet valve assembly of claim 9 ,
wherein the fill manifold structure is configured to remain coupled to the toilet tank when the replaceable fill valve module is decoupled from the fill manifold structure.

11. The flush and inlet valve assembly of claim 7 ,
further comprising a fill level sensor;
wherein the fill level sensor is configured to control a toilet tank refill level; and
wherein the flush level sensor is configured to control the volume of fluid flushed from the toilet tank to the toilet bowl.

12. The flush and inlet valve assembly of claim 11 ,
wherein the fill level sensor is configured to be variably positioned on the fill manifold structure; and
wherein the flush level sensor is configured to be variably positioned on the fill manifold structure.

Assignees

• Fluidmaster

Inventors

• Le Tuan Van
• Han Joseph Unkyung
• Pena Salvador

Classifications

• E03D1/32 Primary

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

• E03D3/12 Primary

  Flushing devices discharging variable quantities of water (flushing cisterns discharging variable quantities of water E03D1/14) · CPC title

• E03D1/34

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

• E03D1/36

  Associated working of inlet and outlet valves · CPC title