Gravity-fed toilet with quiet siphonic flush

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11851864-B2
Application number	US-202218084278-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2022
Priority date	Nov 16, 2018
Publication date	Dec 26, 2023
Grant date	Dec 26, 2023

Abstract

A toilet includes a bowl, a trapway, and a passage. The trapway is fluidly connected to the bowl at a trapway inlet and extends downstream from the bowl. The trapway includes an up-leg and a down-leg extending downstream from the up-leg. The passage is fluidly connected to the trapway downstream from the trapway inlet. The passage is configured to allow ambient air from outside the toilet to pass therethrough toward the trapway.

First claim

We claim:

1. A toilet comprising:
a bowl;
a trapway including a trapway inlet connected at a lower end of the bowl and extending downstream from the bowl; and
a bypass passage connected to the trapway,
wherein ambient air is introduced to the trapway through the bypass passage.

2. The toilet of claim 1 , wherein the ambient air flows through the bypass passage as a result of a pressure differential between the trapway and an ambient environment.

3. The toilet of claim 1 , further comprising:
a tank as a water source for flushing the bowl,
wherein the ambient air flows through the bypass passage as a result of a pressure differential between the trapway and a pressure level of a tank.

4. The toilet of claim 1 , further comprising:
a valve coupled to the bypass passage,
wherein the valve selectively connects atmospheric air pressure to the bypass passage.

5. The toilet of claim 4 , further comprising:
a pedestal, wherein the bypass passage is disposed in the pedestal, wherein the valve is disposed at an interior space of the pedestal.

6. The toilet of claim 4 , wherein the valve is a one-way valve that allows air flows from an environment of the toilet to the trapway.

7. The toilet of claim 4 , further comprising:
a sensor configured to detect pressure in the trapway; and
a solenoid, wherein the solenoid is configured to open the valve in response to the detected pressure in the trapway.

8. The toilet of claim 1 , wherein the bypass passage is connected to the trapway at a timing position configured to break a siphon in the trapway.

9. The toilet of claim 8 , wherein the timing position causes the siphon to break at a predetermined time in a flush sequence.

10. The toilet of claim 1 , wherein the bypass passage extends at least partially upwardly from an upper surface of the toilet proximate to an inlet of the toilet.

11. A water and air passage network for a toilet, the passage network comprising:
a trapway including a trapway inlet connected at a lower end of the toilet; and
a bypass passage connected to the trapway,
wherein ambient air is introduced to the trapway through the bypass passage.

12. The water and air passage network of claim 11 , wherein the ambient air flows through the bypass passage as a result of a pressure differential between the trapway and an ambient environment.

13. The water and air passage network of claim 11 , further comprising:
a tank as a water source for flushing the toilet,
wherein the ambient air flows through the bypass passage as a result of a pressure differential between the trapway and a pressure level of a tank.

14. The water and air passage network of claim 11 , further comprising:
a valve coupled to the bypass passage,
wherein the valve selectively connects atmospheric air pressure to the bypass passage.

15. The water and air passage network of claim 11 , wherein the valve is a one-way valve that allows air flows from an environment of the toilet to the trapway.

16. The water and air passage network of claim 11 , further comprising:
a sensor configured to detect pressure in the trapway; and
a solenoid, wherein the solenoid is configured to open the valve in response to the detected pressure in the trapway.

17. The water and air passage network of claim 11 , wherein the bypass passage is connected to the trapway at a timing position configured to break a siphon in the trapway, wherein the timing position causes the siphon to break at a predetermined time in a flush sequence.

18. The water and air passage network of claim 11 , wherein the bypass passage extends at least partially upwardly from an upper surface of the toilet proximate to an inlet of the toilet.

19. A method for a flush sequence of a toilet, the method comprising:
starting the flush sequence of the toilet;
generating a siphon in a trapway of the toilet; and
exposing the trapway to air through a bypass passage connected atmospheric pressure and connected to the trapway.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
breaking the siphon in the trapway.

Assignees

• Kohler Co

Inventors

• Kuru William C
• Kalk William

Classifications

• E03D11/02 Primary

  Water-closet bowls (auxiliary chambers with connections to flushing water for bowl-cleaning utensils E03D9/06; modified for using upwardly-directed sprays E03D9/08; seats or covers A47K13/00 ){; Bowls with a double odour seal optionally with provisions for a good siphonic action; siphons as part of the bowl (parts or details of bowls E03D11/13)} · CPC title

• E03D11/13 Primary

  Parts or details of bowls; Special adaptations of pipe joints or couplings for use with bowls {, e.g. provisions in bowl construction preventing backflow of waste-water from the bowl in the flushing pipe or cistern, provisions for a secondary flushing, for noise-reducing} · CPC title

• E03D11/18

  Siphons (for pipes in general F16L43/00, F16L45/00 {; if as part of the bowl E03D11/02; connecting the siphon to the bowl}) · CPC title