Abstract:
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for supporting a wall mounted toilet with a toilet bumper in contact with the underside of the wall mounted toilet; an adjustable support leg having an upper end mounted to the toilet bumper; and a support foot mounted a lower end of the adjustable support leg and being adapted to rest against a floor.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/596,936 filed on Oct. 31, 2006 which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0002]     The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for supporting a toilet, and more particularly to a support for a wall mounted toilet.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0003]     Wall mounted toilets provide the advantage of improved cleaning ability, since the floor underneath can be accessed with a mop. Wall mounted toilets have a limitation in that they are typically capable of supporting between 300 to 350 pounds, which is somewhat less than a typical floor mounted toilet. The wall mounted toilet is usually supported by a carrier installed inside the wall to which the toilet is attached. Often, the carriers installed inside the wall are only rated to 300 pounds. That is, the toilets secured to the carriers are engineered to hold a person weighting no more than 300 pounds.  
         [0004]     There are a number of people that weigh over 300 and many over 400 pounds. If such a person uses a typical wall mounted toilet, they exceed the weight limit of the wall mounted toilet. Since wall mounted toilets are common in hospitals, hotels, airports, and various other locations, there is a likelihood that a person of a weight that exceeds the weight limit of a wall mounted toilet, may use a wall mounted toilet, causing it to break off from its supporting carrier. Injury, discomfort, and embarrassment may result when this happens. Therefore, what is needed is an effective means for supporting a wall mounted toilet, to prevent these situations, thereby reducing injury, as well as legal liability for the owners of facilities with wall mounted toilets.  
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
       [0005]     The present invention provides a support for a wall mounted toilet. An adjustable leg is attached to a bumper. The bumper supports the bowl, and the leg rests on the floor, providing additional vertical support. The present invention increases the weight limit of a wall mounted toilet to approximately 1,000 pounds, thereby safely accommodating obese people.  
         [0006]     It is an object of the present invention to provide a toilet support that is compatible with a variety of toilets from various manufacturers.  
         [0007]     It is another object of the present invention to provide a toilet support that is quick and easy to install.  
         [0008]     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an aesthetically pleasing toilet support, suitable for use in places such as hotels and restaurants.  
         [0009]     It is still another object of the present invention to provide an aesthetically pleasing toilet support that is retractable and allows for full cleaning access to the floor.  
         [0010]     According to the present invention, there is disclosed an apparatus for supporting a wall mounted toilet, comprising a toilet bumper in contact with the underside of the wall mounted toilet; an adjustable support leg having an upper end mounted to the toilet bumper; and a support foot mounted a lower end of the adjustable support leg and being adapted to rest against a floor.  
         [0011]     Further according to the present invention, the toilet bumper has a three sided curved shape in plane view with a rear wall between two outside corners of the bumper and two side walls between the two outside corners and a front corner. Also the upper surface of the toilet bumper has a concave shape and the toilet bumper includes a sidewall which extends about the three sided curved shape in a perpendicular direction to a bottom surface of the toilet bumper.  
         [0012]     Still further according to the present invention, the upper surface of the toilet bumper has a three sided cavity formed therein and extending from the rear wall and inward of the two side walls and towards the front corner. Also the three sided cavity has a bottom surface at a depth extending partially towards a lower surface of the toilet bumper.  
         [0013]     Yet further according to the present invention, the toilet bumper has an insert disposed within the three sided cavity. The insert is a four sided insert and has an upper surface with a concave shape that matches the concave shape of upper surface of the toilet bumper and the insert has a lower surface that has a shape that matches the shape of bottom surface of cavity so that the insert can be inserted within cavity so that the toilet bumper is used as a unified structure.  
         [0014]     Still further according to the present invention, the distance from where the upper surface of the toilet bumper intersects the rear wall of the toilet bumper is less than the distance from where the upper surface intersects the two side walls at the front corner of the toilet bumper.  
         [0015]     Also according to the present invention, the bottom surface of the toilet bumper has a cylindrical bore extending towards the upper surface of the toilet bumper and the cylindrical bore has an outer bottom surface and an inner bottom surface wherein the outer bottom surface extends closer to the upper surface of the toilet bumper than the inner bottom surface. The cylindrical bore further includes a central bore projecting from the inner bottom surface towards the upper surface of the toilet bumper, the central bore having an insert with a threaded bore.  
         [0016]     Yet further according to the present invention, the adjustable support leg includes a primary thin walled cylindrical shaped leg section open at opposite ends and having a threaded rod projecting through the primary cylindrical shaped leg section and wherein the threaded rod is mounted to an interior wall of the primary cylindrical shaped leg section. Also the adjustable support leg includes a secondary thin walled cylindrical shaped leg section, wherein the secondary thin walled cylindrical shaped leg section is open at one end and has a base portion closing the opposite end, and wherein the base portion has a threaded bore adapted to threadedly receive the threaded rod projecting through the primary cylindrical shaped leg section so that the secondary thin walled cylindrical shaped leg section is telescopedly receive within the secondary thin walled cylindrical shaped leg section.  
         [0017]     Further according to the present invention, the support foot is a circular plate having a cylindrical thin walled connector secured thereto and adapted to be received within the open end of the secondary thin walled cylindrical shaped leg section.  
         [0018]     Also according to the present invention, the toilet bumper is constructed of a silicon material.  
         [0019]     According to the present invention, there is disclosed a method of supporting a wall mounted toilet, comprising the steps of: providing an apparatus for supporting a wall mounted toilet including a toilet bumper adapted to contact with the underside of the wall mounted toilet, an adjustable support leg having an upper end mounted to the toilet bumper and a support foot mounted a lower end of the adjustable support leg and being adapted to rest against a floor; placing the apparatus under the wall mounted toilet so that the toilet bumper is in contact with the underside of the wall mounted toilet; and adjusting the support leg so that the support foot is resting against a floor.  
         [0020]     Still further according to the present invention, the method includes the steps of providing the toilet bumper with an upper surface with a concave shape; and disposing the upper surface with a concave shape against the bottom surface of the wall mounted toilet.  
         [0021]     Further according to the present invention, the method includes the steps of providing the toilet bumper with an upper surface having a three sided cavity formed therein and an insert disposed within the three sided cavity wherein the upper surface of the insert has a concave shape that matches the concave shape of upper surface of the toilet bumper and the toilet bumper is used as a unified structure; and placing the apparatus under the wall mounted toilet so that the upper surface of the toilet bumper and the upper surface of the insert are in contact with the underside of the wall mounted toilet.  
         [0022]     Yet further according to the present invention, the method includes the steps of providing the toilet bumper with a concave shaped upper surface having a three sided cavity having a bottom surface formed therein; and placing the apparatus under the wall mounted toilet so that the concave upper surface of the toilet bumper and the bottom surface of the insert are in contact with the underside of the wall mounted toilet.  
         [0023]     Still further according to the present invention, the method includes the steps of retracting the support leg so that the support foot is not resting against the floor.  
         [0024]     Further according to the present invention, the method includes the step of applying a bead of adhesive, such as silicone, between the toilet bumper and the bottom of the toilet bowl.  
         [0025]     These and other advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0026]     The structure, operation, and advantages of the present invention will become further apparent upon consideration of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures (Figs.). The figures are intended to be illustrative, not limiting.  
         [0027]     Certain elements in some of the figures may be omitted, or illustrated not-to-scale, for illustrative clarity. The cross-sectional views may be in the form of “slices”, or “near-sighted” cross-sectional views, omitting certain background lines which would otherwise be visible in a “true” cross-sectional view, for illustrative clarity.  
         [0028]     In the drawings accompanying the description that follows, often both reference numerals and legends (labels, text descriptions) may be used to identify elements. If legends are provided, they are intended merely as an aid to the reader, and should not in any way be interpreted as limiting.  
         [0029]      FIG. 1  shows a three dimensional view of the present invention being used with a wall mounted toilet.  
         [0030]      FIG. 2A  shows a close-up three dimensional view of the toilet bumper and telescoping leg according to the present invention present invention.  
         [0031]      FIG. 2B  shows a close-up three dimensional view of the toilet bumper with the insert removed according to the present invention present invention.  
         [0032]      FIG. 3  shows a three dimensional bottom view of the toilet bumper according to the present invention.  
         [0033]      FIG. 4  shows a cross-sectional view through line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3 .  
         [0034]      FIG. 5  shows an isometric view of the telescope leg of the present invention.  
         [0035]      FIG. 6  shows a cross-sectional view through line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 5 .  
         [0036]      FIG. 7  shows a cross-sectional view of the foot of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0037]      FIG. 1  shows the use of the toilet support  100  of the present invention in use with a typical wall mounted toilet  102 . The mounted toilet  102  is secured to a carrier installed inside the wall (not shown) to which the toilet is attached with a plurality of bolts. The toilet support  100  includes a toilet bumper  104 , a support leg  106  and a support foot  108 . Toilet bumper  104  is shown in contact with the underside of the wall mounted toilet  102 . The toilet bumper  104  is mounted towards the front end of wall mounted toilet  102  so that the bumper can support the toilet in the event that a heavy person is sitting on the toilet. The adjustable support leg  106  is arranged so that an upper end portion  106   a  is mounted to the toilet bumper  104  and a lower end portion  106   b  is on the floor. Note that a support foot  108  is provided at the lower end  106   b  of the adjustable support leg  106  and is adapted to rest against a floor.  
         [0038]      FIG. 2A  shows a detailed three dimensional view of the toilet support  100  of the present invention. As mentioned before, toilet support  100  is comprised of three main components, a toilet bumper  104 , a support leg  106  and a support foot  108 . With regard to the toilet bumper  104 , it has a three sided curved shape in plane view with a sidewall  118  including a rear wall  120  between two outside corners  122 ,  124  of the bumper and two side walls  126 ,  128  between the two outside corners and a front corner  130 . The sidewall  118  extends generally in a perpendicular direction (as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ) to a bottom surface  140  of the toilet bumper  104 .  
         [0039]     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , an upper surface  132  of toilet bumper  104  has a concave shape which is adapted to the shape of the bottom of a conventional wall mounted toilet. The bumper  104  is shaped so that when the bumper is mounted to the bottom of a toilet, the front corner  130  is higher than the rear further away than the outside corners  122 , 124 . This can be seen by referring to  FIG. 4 , where the distance x from where the upper surface  132  intersects the rear wall  120  of the toilet bumper  104  to the bottom surface  140  is less than the distance y from where the upper surface intersects the two side walls  126 ,  128  at the front corner  130  of the toilet bumper to the bottom surface  140 .  
         [0040]     Sometimes, the underside of a toilet is shaped so that the concave shape of the upper surface  132  of bumper  104  does not sufficiently engage the underside of the toilet. To accommodate different shaped toilet bottoms, the toilet bumper  104 , as shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B , has a removable insert  150  which fits within a three sided cavity  152  formed in the toilet bumper. As shown in  FIG. 213 , the cavity  152  has two side walls  152   a ,  152   b , a forward wall  152   c  and a bottom surface  152   d . The cavity  152  is formed so that a portion of rear wall  120  of toilet bumper  104  which is between the side walls  152   a  and  152   b  is narrower than the remainder of rear wall  120 .  
         [0041]     The four sided insert  150 , as shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B , has two side walls  150   a  and  150   b , a front wall  150   c  and a rear wall  150   d . The upper surface  150   e  of insert  150  has a concave shape that matches the concave shape of upper surface  132  of toilet bumper  104 . The lower surface  150   f  of insert  150  has a shape that matches the shape of bottom surface  152   d  of cavity  152 . The insert  150  can be inserted within cavity  152  as shown in  FIG. 2A  so that the toilet bumper  104  is used as a unified structure to support wall hanging toilet  102 . Alternatively, insert  150  can be remove from cavity  152  as shown in  FIG. 2B . It is also within the terms of the present invention to remove only a portion of insert  150  so that the bumper  104  can accommodate a particular shape of a wall hanging toilet.  
         [0042]     Both the toilet bumper  104  and the insert  150  are preferably constructed of a chemical and stain resistant non-porous rubber material such as silicon which can absorb shock created by a heavy individual sitting on toilet  102  and loading the toilet support  100 .  
         [0043]     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , there is shown the bottom of toilet bumper  104 . There is shown a bottom surface  140  that would be substantially parallel to a floor on which the toilet support  100  is used. A cylindrical bore  160  extends from bottom surface  140  towards the upper surface  132  of the toilet bumper  104 . There is an outer bottom surface  162  of cylindrical bore  160  and an inner bottom surface  154 . The outer bottom surface  162  extends closer to the upper surface  132  of the toilet bumper  104  than the inner bottom surface  164 . Also, a central bore  166  projects inward from the inner bottom surface  164  towards the upper surface  132  of the toilet bumper  104 . The central bore  166  opens to an insert  168  with a threaded bore  170 .  
         [0044]     Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , there is shown the adjustable support leg  106 . Support leg  106  includes a primary thin walled cylindrical shaped leg section  172  open at opposite ends  174  and  176 . A threaded rod  178  projects through the primary cylindrical shaped leg section  172  and is mounted to an interior wall  180  of the primary cylindrical shaped leg section by any means, such as an integral cylindrical sleeve  182 . One end of rod  178  projects from end  174  and the other end of rod  178  projects from end  176  primary thin walled cylindrical shaped leg section  172 .  
         [0045]     The adjustable support leg  106  includes a secondary thin walled cylindrical shaped leg section  184 . The secondary thin walled cylindrical shaped leg section  184  is open at one end  186  and has a base portion  188  closing the opposite end  190 . The base portion  188  has a threaded bore  192  extending there through and adapted to threadedly receive the threaded rod  178  projecting through the primary cylindrical shaped leg section  172  so that the secondary thin walled cylindrical shaped leg section  184  is telescopedly receive within the primary thin walled cylindrical shaped leg section. By rotating either the primary leg section  170  or the secondary leg section  184 , the height (length) of support leg  106  is adjusted.  
         [0046]     The end of threaded rod  178  that projects from end  174  of the primary cylindrical shaped leg section  172  is received within the threaded bore  170  of insert  168 . As the primary leg section  170  is rotated, the threaded rod  178  moves through threaded insert  168 , thereby securing the leg  106  to the toilet bumper  104 . Preferably, the primary leg section  170  is rotated until the end cylindrical wall  174  is received in the outer bottom surface  162  of cylindrical bore  160  and the inner bottom surface  164  can be against the integral cylindrical sleeve  182  so that the leg  106  is securely attached to the toilet bumper  104 .  
         [0047]     In operation, the toilet support  100  may be affixed to toilet  102  by applying adhesive, silicone adhesive or caulking to bumper  104  (note that the bumper can be formed of a silicon material.) Leg  106  is affixed to bumper  104  by the threaded screw  178  engaging screw insert  168  as described herein before. The lower leg member  106   a  is then rotated until foot  110  makes contact with the floor surface. The lower leg  106   a  can be rotated in an opposite direction to raise it when cleaning the floor. This provides the cleaning advantages of a wall mounted toilet, with the weight capacity properties of a floor mounted toilet.  
         [0048]     It should be noted that no bolts or fittings need to be adjusted on the wall mounted toilet  102  when installing toilet support  100 . The bumper  104  can be molded in a color to match the toilet  102 , providing a discrete toilet support that blends in with the toilet itself.  
         [0049]     Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to a certain preferred embodiment or embodiments, certain equivalent alterations and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of this specification and the annexed drawings. In particular regard to the various functions performed by the above described components (assemblies, devices, etc.) the terms (including a reference to a “means”) used to describe such components are intended to correspond, unless otherwise indicated, to any component which performs the specified function of the described component (i.e., that is functionally equivalent), even though not structurally equivalent to the disclosed structure which performs the function in the herein illustrated exemplary embodiments of the invention. In addition, while a particular feature of the invention may have been disclosed with respect to only one of several embodiments, such feature may be combined with one or more features of the other embodiments as may be desired and advantageous for any given or particular application.