Float lock for a flush valve reservoir

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9650772-B2
Application number	US-201414481897-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 9, 2014
Priority date	Sep 9, 2013
Publication date	May 16, 2017
Grant date	May 16, 2017

Abstract

A flush valve system may comprise a rail guide configured to extend between upper and lower portions of the flush valve system in a toilet tank. A float may be slidably coupled to the rail guide and be configured to be received by a reservoir associated with the float. The float may comprise a closed upper surface with a mating pocket and one or more circumferential walls extending from the closed upper surface. A lock mechanism may be slidably received by the mating pocket of the float. The lock mechanism may comprise one or more bias arms to fixedly engage the lock mechanism to the float and one or more locking members to fixedly engage the lock mechanism to the rail guide.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flush valve system, comprising:
a rail guide;
a float movably coupled to the rail guide, wherein the float is configured to be received by a reservoir, the float having a mating pocket in a side thereof; and
a lock mechanism movably received by the mating pocket in the side of the float, the lock mechanism comprising:
one or more bias arms to engage the lock mechanism to the float; and
one or more locking members to engage the lock mechanism to the rail guide,

wherein the lock mechanism is separate from the float and is fixed in permanent position when received into the mating pocket in the side of the float, and
wherein the locking members project in the same direction into the mating pocket and wherein the rail guide is positioned between the locking members and the locking members are positioned between opposing sides of the mating pocket.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the lock mechanism when received by the float is slidable along the rail guide between one or more positions.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the rail guide further comprises a first plurality of ridges or notches, wherein a height of the float with respect to the rail guide is adjustable by sliding the float along the first plurality of ridges or notches.

4. A flush valve system, comprising:
a rail guide;
a float movably coupled to the rail guide, wherein the float is configured to be received by a reservoir, the float having a mating pocket; and
a lock mechanism movably received by the mating pocket of the float, the lock mechanism comprising:
one or more bias arms to engage the lock mechanism to the float; and
one or more locking members to engage the lock mechanism to the rail guide wherein the rail guide further comprises a first plurality of ridges or notches and a second plurality of ridges or notches, wherein a height adjustment guide of the mating pocket removably attaches to the first plurality of ridges or notches when sliding the float along the first plurality of ridges or notches, and wherein the one or more locking members of the lock mechanism fixedly engages with the rail guide.

5. The system according to claim 4 , wherein each of the one or more bias arms further comprises a bias force, and wherein the lock mechanism and the float are fixedly engaged when the bias force of the one or more bias arms causes the one or more bias arms to communicate with a tab of the float.

6. The system according to claim 5 , wherein each of the one or more bias arms flexes inwardly or outwardly when communicating with the tab.

7. The system according to claim 5 , wherein each of the one or more bias arms further comprises a latch surface that communicates with the tab.

8. The system according to claim 5 , wherein the lock mechanism further comprises an external surface opposite the rail guide, wherein the lock mechanism is configured so that a predetermined pushing force externally applied to the external surface permanently fixedly engages the lock mechanism with the tab.

9. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the lock mechanism is slidable along the rail guide prior to being permanently fixedly engaged with the float after being received by the mating pocket of the float.

10. The system according to claim 5 , wherein the bias arm is arranged so that a predetermined force externally applied to the bias arm permanently fixedly engages the lock mechanism with the float.

11. The system according to claim 10 , wherein the predetermined force is substantially normal to the closed upper surface of the float, and wherein the predetermined force to permanently fixedly engage the lock mechanism with the float is applied using a tool.

12. A flush valve system, comprising:
a rail guide;
a float movably coupled to the rail guide, wherein the float is configured to be received by a reservoir, the float having a mating pocket; and
a lock mechanism movably received by the mating pocket of the float, the lock mechanism comprising:
one or more bias arms to engage the lock mechanism to the float; and

one or more locking members to engage the lock mechanism to the rail guide, wherein the lock mechanism further comprises one or more guide slots corresponding to one or more lock mechanism guides of the mating pocket, wherein the lock mechanism guides of the mating pocket are slidably inserted into the one or more guide slots of the lock mechanism when the lock mechanism is slidably coupled to the mating pocket.

13. A method of maintaining a height of a float in a flush valve system in a toilet tank, comprising:
inserting a lock mechanism into a mating pocket in the side of the float movably coupled to a guide rail in the system;
positioning the float along the guide rail until a predetermined height; and
engaging the lock mechanism to the float and the guide rail,
wherein the lock mechanism is separate from the float and is fixed in permanent position when received into the mating pocket in the side of the float, and
wherein one or more locking members on the lock mechanism project in the same direction into the mating pocket and wherein the rail guide is positioned between the locking members and the locking members are positioned between opposing sides of the mating pocket.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the predetermined height corresponds to a predetermined flush volume associated with the float.

15. A method of maintaining a height of a float in a flush valve system in a toilet tank, comprising:
inserting a lock mechanism into a mating pocket of the float movably coupled to a guide rail in the system;
positioning the float along the guide rail until a predetermined height; and
engaging the lock mechanism to the float and the guide rail, wherein the lock mechanism further comprises an external surface opposite the mating pocket and one or more bias arms that extend from the external surface towards the mating pocket, wherein the lock mechanism fixedly engages with the float by flexibly moving the one or more bias arms until positioned underneath or in communication with corresponding tabs of the float.

16. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the rail guide further comprises a longitudinal slide axis and one or more ridges onto which each of the one or more members couples to the rail guide, wherein each of the one or more ridges of the rail guide comprises an array of teeth that extend outwardly from the rail guide to fixedly engage with the float, lock mechanism, or both, wherein the array of teeth or projections are snapped into or positioned on the float or lock mechanism.

Assignees

• Fluidmaster

Inventors

• Lee Michael
• Zhang Kokon
• Chen Junsheng
• Han Joseph

Classifications

• E03D1/144 Primary

  having a single flush outlet and an additional float for delaying the valve closure · CPC title

• E03D1/35

  Flushing valves having buoyancy · CPC title

• Y10T29/49947

  by applying separate fastener · CPC title