Seals for closet collars

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9758957-B2
Application number	US-201313974918-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 23, 2013
Priority date	Feb 20, 2012
Publication date	Sep 12, 2017
Grant date	Sep 12, 2017

Abstract

Disclosed are various embodiments for providing a seal for a closet collar. A sealing assembly is positioned on a closet collar for a drain pipe. The sealing assembly may comprise a portion on which a sealing component is positioned. A toilet is positioned over the sealing assembly. The sealing assembly is compressed between the toilet and the closet collar, and a seal for the closet collar is formed.

First claim

Therefore, the following is claimed:

1. A system, comprising:
a toilet;
a closet collar for a drain pipe; and
a sealing assembly for the toilet, the sealing assembly comprising a mounting rim, a passageway wall, and a flexible channel wall, the mounting rim of the sealing assembly being positioned on the closet collar, the flexible channel wall forming at least a portion of a channel in which a sealing component is disposed, at least a portion of the flexible channel wall circumscribing at least a portion of an outer surface of the sealing component, wherein the flexible channel wall causes the sealing component to form a seal for the closet collar by forcing at least a portion of the sealing component into a region between the sealing assembly and the closet collar when the flexible channel wall is flexed due to the passageway wall being lowered relative to the mounting rim.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a sealing assembly adapter configured to be positioned between the toilet and the sealing assembly.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the channel comprises a continuous annular channel.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sealing assembly comprises at least one of a polyvinylchloride (PVC) rubber, a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), a thermoplastic rubber (TPR), a styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), an ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber, an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastic, a polyoxymethylene (POM) plastic, a neoprene, a foam rubber, or silicone.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sealing component comprises at least one of a wax or petrolatum.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sealing component comprises a plurality of sealing components.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sealing assembly forms a passage between the toilet and the drain pipe.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein:
the passageway wall comprises a rigid section; and
the rigid section forms at least a portion of the passage.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sealing component comprises at least one of a foam or a rubber.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mounting rim comprises a rigid flange.

11. An apparatus, comprising:
a sealing assembly comprising a mounting rim, a passageway wall, and a flexible channel wall, the flexible channel wall forming at least a portion of a channel; and
a sealing component positioned in the channel such that at least a portion of the flexible channel wall circumscribes at least a portion of an outer surface of the sealing component, wherein the flexible channel wall causes the sealing component to form a seal for a closet collar by forcing at least a portion of the sealing component into a region between the sealing assembly and the closet collar upon the flexible channel wall being flexed due to the passageway wall being lowered relative to the mounting rim.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a sealing assembly adapter configured to be positioned between a toilet and the sealing assembly.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the channel comprises a continuous annular channel.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the sealing component comprises at least one of a wax or petrolatum.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the sealing assembly is configured to extrude the sealing component into the region to form the seal for the closet collar upon the passageway wall being lowered relative to the mounting rim.

16. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the sealing component comprises at least one of a foam or a rubber.

17. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the sealing component comprises a plurality of sealing components.

18. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the sealing assembly comprises a flexible membrane.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the passageway wall comprises a rigid section.

20. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the sealing assembly comprises an ear that is configured to receive a toilet bolt.

21. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the mounting rim comprises a plurality of ears configured to receive a plurality of toilet bolts.

22. A method, comprising:
positioning a mounting rim of a sealing assembly onto a closet collar for a drain pipe, the sealing assembly comprising a passageway wall and a flexible channel wall that forms at least a portion of a channel in which a sealing component is positioned, at least a portion of the flexible channel wall circumscribing at least a portion of an outer surface of the sealing component;
lowering a toilet onto the sealing assembly to cause the passageway wall to lower relative to the mounting rim and thereby cause the flexible channel wall of the sealing assembly to flex; and
forming a seal for the closet collar by forcing at least a portion of the sealing component into a region between the sealing assembly and the closet collar as a result of the flexible channel wall of the sealing assembly being flexed.

23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising positioning a sealing assembly adapter over the sealing assembly prior to lowering the toilet onto the sealing assembly.

24. The method of claim 22 , wherein the sealing component comprises at least one of a wax, petrolatum, a foam, a silicone, or a rubber.

25. The method of claim 22 , wherein the sealing assembly comprises a sealing membrane.

26. A method, comprising:
positioning a sealing assembly separate from a closet collar for a drain pipe, the sealing assembly comprising a sealed bladder that contains and seals a substance therein;
positioning the sealing assembly onto the closet collar for the drain pipe;
positioning a toilet over the sealing assembly;
compressing the sealing assembly between the toilet and the closet collar; and
forming a seal for the closet collar by forcing at least a portion of the sealed bladder into a region between the sealing assembly and the closet collar as a result of the sealing assembly being compressed.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the substance comprises at least one of air, a liquid, or a gel.

28. A method, comprising:
positioning a sealing assembly over a closet collar for a drain pipe, the sealing assembly comprising a shell on which a sealing component is disposed;
positioning a toilet over the sealing assembly;
compressing the sealing assembly between the toilet and the closet collar;
collapsing the shell as a result of the sealing assembly being compressed between the toilet and the closet collar; and
forming a seal for the closet collar by extruding at least a portion of the sealing component from the shell into a region between the sealing assembly and the closet collar.

Assignees

• Danco Inc

Inventors

• Schuster Michael J

Classifications

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title

• E03D11/17

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

• E03D11/16 Primary

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

• F16L5/10

  by using sealing rings or sleeves only · CPC title