Closet collar apparatus and systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11220813-B2
Application number	US-202016902947-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 16, 2020
Priority date	Feb 20, 2012
Publication date	Jan 11, 2022
Grant date	Jan 11, 2022

Abstract

Disclosed are various embodiments for facilitating the installation of a toilet over a closet collar for a drain pipe. According to various embodiments, a toilet seal assembly is positioned between the toilet and the closet collar, providing a seal between the toilet and the flange of the closet collar. The toilet seal assembly may include a flexible rubber seal and a compressible foam seal ring. The flexible rubber seal may include an annular wall, an upper ring that extends radially inward from the annular wall, and a lower ring that extends radially outward from the annular wall. The compressible foam seal ring may be disposed on the lower ring of the flexible rubber seal.

First claim

Therefore, the following is claimed:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a closet collar adapter configured to be positioned under a toilet, the closet collar adapter comprising:
a pipe extension configured to be positioned within a closet collar for a drain pipe for the toilet;
a receptacle for a sealing component on an underside of the closet collar adapter, the receptacle formed by at least an upper wall and a side wall of the closet collar adapter, where the side wall has an inner diameter that is greater than an outer diameter of a flange of the closet collar; and
a flexible sealing material extending inward from the upper wall to a center opening aligned with the pipe extension, the flexible sealing material comprising a protrusion extending upward from an upper surface of the flexible sealing material and encircling the center opening, where at least a portion of the flexible sealing material is configured to contact with a horn of the toilet and flex below an entirety of the upper wall to form a seal between the toilet and the closet collar adapter.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion is one of a plurality of protrusions extending upward from the upper surface of the flexible sealing material and encircling the center opening.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion has a semi-circular cross-section.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the flexible sealing material is positioned on an upper surface of the closet collar adapter.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising an adapter plate and a fastener that is configured to fasten the toilet to the adapter plate.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sealing component comprises a wax ring that is configured to be positioned between the closet collar adapter and a flooring under the toilet.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sealing component comprises at least one flexible seal ring that is configured to be positioned between the closet collar adapter and a flooring under the toilet.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the at least one flexible seal ring is configured to return at least partially to a previous shape when the at least one flexible seal ring is removed from the receptacle for the sealing component.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the at least one flexible seal ring comprises a foam rubber material.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sealing component is formed separately from the receptacle and is configured to be fitted within the receptacle underneath the closet collar adapter.

11. A system, comprising:
a toilet positioned over a closet collar for a drain pipe in a flooring; and
a closet collar adapter positioned under the toilet, the closet collar adapter forming at least one seal between the toilet and the closet collar, wherein the closet collar adapter comprises:
a pipe extension configured to be positioned within the closet collar;
a receptacle for a sealing component on an underside of the closet collar adapter, the receptacle formed by an upper wall and a side wall of the closet collar adapter, where the side wall has an inner diameter that is greater than an outer diameter of a flange of the closet collar; and
a flexible sealing material extending inward from the upper wall to a center opening aligned with the pipe extension, the flexible sealing material comprising a protrusion extending upward from an upper surface of the flexible sealing material and encircling the center opening, where at least a portion of the flexible sealing material is configured to contact with a horn of the toilet and flex below an entirety of the upper wall to form at least a portion of the at least one seal.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the protrusion is one of a plurality of protrusions extending upward from the upper surface of the flexible sealing material and encircling the center opening.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the protrusion has a semi-circular cross-section.

14. The system of claim 11 , comprising an adapter plate fastened to the flooring using a plurality of first fasteners, the adapter plate being fastened to the toilet using a plurality of second fasteners.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the closet collar adapter forms at least a portion of a closet collar adaptation assembly.

16. The system of claim 11 , comprising a flexible seal ring in the receptacle for the sealing component, the flexible seal ring forming at least a portion of the at least one seal.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the flexible seal ring comprises a foam rubber material.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the foam rubber material is composed of neoprene, polyvinylchloride (PVC) rubber, thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), thermoplastic rubber (TPR), styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), or ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber.

Assignees

• Danco Inc

Inventors

• Schuster Michael J

Classifications

• E03D11/16 Primary

  Means for connecting the bowl to the floor, e.g. to a floor outlet · CPC title

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title

• F16L5/10

  by using sealing rings or sleeves only · CPC title

• E03D11/17

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