Toilet discharge valve assembly having moveable buoyant float therein

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9359752-B2
Application number	US-201313943991-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 17, 2013
Priority date	Jul 25, 2012
Publication date	Jun 7, 2016
Grant date	Jun 7, 2016

Abstract

A toilet flush valve that has a moveable buoyant float therein, wherein the float has an open bottom end to trap air therein and wherein the housing includes controls to selectively release air to allow the float to move upwardly therein to permit flushing. By timing when one or two air vents on the housing are open, the duration and volume of the flush can be controlled, with the buoyancy provided by the water lifting the float to open the flush valve. This provides a flushing system with minimal activation energy.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flush valve, comprising:
(a) a housing dimensioned to be positioned over a drain in a toilet tank;
(b) a float assembly being vertically moveable within the housing, the float assembly configured to seal the drain when the float assembly is in a lowered position, and to open the drain when the float assembly is in a raised position, wherein the float assembly comprises a float having an open bottom end to trap air therein, and wherein an air chamber is formed between the interior of the housing and the exterior of the float assembly;
(c) an air passageway connecting the air chamber in the housing to external ambient air;
(d) an actuator for selectively opening and closing the air passageway; and
(e) an air passageway continuously connecting the interior of the float to external ambient air through a flush cycle, thereby keeping the air pressure in the interior of the float at ambient pressure through the flush cycle.

2. The flush valve of claim 1 , wherein the float assembly comprises a hollow float with an open bottom end.

3. The flush valve of claim 1 , wherein the actuator for selectively opening and closing the air passageway comprises a flush button positioned on the exterior of the toilet tank.

4. The flush valve of claim 1 , wherein the actuator for selectively opening and closing the air passageway comprises a triggering sensor.

5. The flush valve of claim 1 , wherein the air passageway connecting the air chamber in the housing to external ambient air comprises a tube extending from the air chamber in the housing to an external ambient air outlet on the toilet tank.

6. The flush valve of claim 1 , wherein the air passageway connecting the air chamber in the housing to external ambient air comprises a passageway through the housing to external ambient air within the toilet tank.

7. The flush valve of claim 1 , wherein the air passageway continuously connecting the interior of the float to external ambient air comprises:
(i) a venting tube having an open top end disposed within the float;
(ii) a venting base connected to the bottom of the venting tube; and
(iii) a venting chamber to the external ambient air, the venting chamber being connected to the venting base,

wherein air flows freely between the venting tube, base and chamber such that the air in the interior of the float remains constant at ambient pressure.

8. A flush valve, comprising:
(a) a housing dimensioned to be positioned over a drain in a toilet tank;
(b) a float assembly being vertically moveable within the housing, the float assembly configured to seal the drain when the float assembly is in a lowered position, and to open the drain when the float assembly is in a raised position, wherein the float assembly comprises a float having an open bottom end to trap air therein, and wherein an air chamber is formed between the interior of the housing and the exterior of the float assembly;
(c) an air passageway connecting the air chamber in the housing to external ambient air;
(d) an actuator for selectively opening and closing the air passageway; and
(e) an air passageway connecting the interior of the float to external ambient air, wherein the air passageway comprises:
(i) a venting tube having an open top end disposed within the float,
(ii) a venting base connected to the bottom of the venting tube, and
(iii) a venting chamber to the external ambient air, the venting chamber being connected to the venting base,

wherein air flows freely between the venting tube, base and chamber such that the air in the interior of the float remains constant at ambient pressure, and wherein the venting chamber passes through an overflow tube passing through the housing.

9. The flush valve of claim 7 , wherein the venting base has a bottom opening permitting water entering the venting tube to drain out through the venting base into the drain in the toilet tank.

10. The flush valve of claim 1 , further comprising:
(f) a second air passageway connecting the air chamber in the housing to external ambient air, wherein the second air passageway enters the air chamber at a position below where the first air passageway enters the air chamber.

11. A flush valve, comprising:
(a) a housing dimensioned to be positioned over a drain in a toilet tank;
(b) a float assembly being vertically moveable within the housing, the float assembly configured to seal the drain when the float assembly is in a lowered position, and to open the drain when the float assembly is in a raised position, wherein the float assembly comprises a float having an open bottom end to trap air therein, and wherein an air chamber is formed between the interior of the housing and the exterior of the float assembly;
(c) an air passageway connecting the air chamber in the housing to external ambient air;
(d) an actuator for selectively opening and closing the air passageway; and
(e) an air passageway connecting the interior of the float to external ambient air, wherein the air passageway comprises:
(i) a venting tube having an open top end disposed within the float;
(ii) a venting base connected to the bottom of the venting tube; and
(iii) a venting chamber to the external ambient air, the venting chamber being connected to the venting base,

wherein air flows freely between the venting tube, base and chamber such that the air in the interior of the float remains constant at ambient pressure, and
wherein the venting base has a bottom opening permitting water entering the venting tube to drain out through the venting base into the drain in the toilet tank; and
(f) an actuator for selectively opening and closing the second air passageway.

12. The flush valve of claim 11 , wherein the actuator for selectively opening and closing the second air passageway comprises a pneumatic or cable activated control module.

13. The flush valve of claim 12 , wherein the control module has a locking mechanism that prevents a user from opening the first air passageway when water is being supplied from a fill valve into the flush valve.

14. The flush valve of claim 12 , wherein the control module has a locking mechanism that prevents a user from opening the second air passageway when water is being supplied from a fill valve into the flush valve.

15. The flush valve of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises:
at least one flow opening permitting tank water to pass therethrough and into the drain below the housing when the float assembly is in the raised position.

16. The flush valve of claim 15 , further comprising:
a siphon skirt disposed around the at least one flow opening.

17. The flush valve of claim 1 , wherein the float assembly comprises a sealing member between the float and the drain.

18. A method of controlling flow through a flush valve, comprising:
(a) providing a flush valve assembly comprising:
(i) a housing dimensioned to be positioned over a drain in a toilet tank;
(ii) a float assembly being vertically moveable within the housing, the float assembly configured to seal the drain when the float assembly is in a lowered position, and to open the drain when the float assembly is in a raised position, wherein the float assembly comprises a float having an open bottom end to trap air therein, and wherein an air chamber is formed between the interior of the housing and the exterior of the float;
(iii) an air passageway connecting the air chamber in the housing to external ambient air;
(iv) an actuator for selectively opening and closing the air passageway;
(v) a venting tube having o

Assignees

• Fluidmaster

Inventors

• Le Tuan
• Cook Steve
• Sampson Adam

Classifications

• E03D1/142 Primary

  in cisterns with flushing valves · CPC title

• E03D1/304

  with valves with own buoyancy · CPC title