Toilet with overflow protection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12467247-B2
Application number	US-202318227087-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 27, 2023
Priority date	Mar 13, 2012
Publication date	Nov 11, 2025
Grant date	Nov 11, 2025

Abstract

A flush toilet includes a bowl, a tank coupled to the bowl, a flush valve positioned within the tank, and a flush device configured to initiate a flush cycle. The automatic toilet further comprises an electronic sensing assembly having a sensing member positioned on the bowl for detecting an overflow condition of the bowl, an overflow device operably coupled to the flush device, and a controller in electronic communication with the electronic sensing assembly and the overflow device for controlling the flush device in response to a condition of the toilet.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A toilet comprising:
a bowl; a tank positioned above the bowl; a flush valve assembly supported within the tank and in fluid communication with the bowl, the flush valve assembly comprising a flapper, a rigid support member coupled to the flapper, and a lever arm configured to directly engage the support member and move the flapper between an open position wherein water flows into the bowl from the tank and a closed position wherein water remains in the tank; and an electronic fill valve assembly, and the lever arm is operably coupled to the electronic fill valve assembly, and wherein the flush valve assembly further comprises a housing defining an aperture and an upper end of the rigid support member extends upwardly through the aperture in the housing, the upper end of the rigid support member being configured to allow a user to manually grasp the upper end of the rigid support member and thereby manually move the flapper from the closed position to the open position to flush the toilet.

2 . The toilet of claim 1 , wherein the support member extends approximately vertically within the tank.

3 . The toilet of claim 1 , wherein the support member defines a rigid post.

4 . The toilet of claim 3 , wherein the post is configured to move in an upward direction to manually flush the toilet.

5 . The toilet of claim 3 , further comprising a guide positioned below the flapper and wherein the post has a lower end positioned below the flapper which extends into the guide.

6 . The toilet of claim 3 , wherein the post includes an upper end positioned above the flapper and a lower end positioned below the flapper, the flapper extending radially outwardly relative to both the upper end of the post and the lower end of the post, the post having a channel that extends through the upper end of the post at a position spaced vertically above the flapper and wherein a portion of the lever arm is received within a portion of the channel to thereby engage the post and move the flapper between the open and closed positions.

7 . The toilet of claim 1 , further comprising a flush actuator assembly positioned with the tank and a housing, wherein the housing supports the flush actuator assembly and the fill valve assembly.

8 . The toilet of claim 1 , further comprising an overflow device operably coupled to the fill valve assembly.

9 . A toilet comprising:
a bowl; a tank positioned above the bowl; a flush valve assembly supported within the tank and in fluid communication with the bowl, the flush valve assembly comprising a flapper, a rigid support member coupled to the flapper, and a lever arm configured to cooperate with the support member and move the flapper between an open position wherein water flows into the bowl from the tank and a closed position wherein water remains in the tank; an electronic fill valve assembly, and the lever arm is operably coupled to the electronic fill valve assembly, and wherein the flush valve assembly further comprises a housing defining an aperture and an upper end of the rigid support member extends upwardly through the aperture in the housing, the upper end of the rigid support member being configured to allow a user to manually grasp the upper end of the rigid support member and thereby manually move the flapper from the closed position to the open position to flush the toilet; wherein the support member extends approximately vertically within the tank; wherein the support member defines a rigid post; and wherein the post is configured to move in an upward direction to manually flush the toilet.

10 . The toilet of claim 9 , wherein the post has an open channel.

11 . The toilet of claim 10 , wherein a portion of the lever arm is received within a portion of the channel to move the flapper between the open and closed positions.

Assignees

• Delta Faucet Co

Inventors

• Veros Michael J
• Thomas Kurt Judson
• Rodenbeck Robert W
• Marty Garry Robin
• Brown Derek Allen

Classifications

• E03D1/00

  Water flushing devices with cisterns {; Setting up a range of flushing devices or water-closets; Combinations of several flushing devices} · CPC title

• E03D5/026

  Devices preventing overflow or locks inhibiting the use of the flushing system (devices preventing overflow of the bowl contents and seals for the bowl outlet E03D11/00); Devices preventing sucking-up of sealing and flushing water · CPC title

• E03D11/13

  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

• E03D5/105 Primary

  touchless, e.g. using sensors · CPC title

• E03D1/34

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