Urinal coupling device, assembly and installation method

A urinal coupling device includes at least one support member and a pair of ears. The support member has a pair of opposite lateral portions and a main portion of an arcuate configuration extending between and rigidly interconnecting the opposite lateral portions. Each of the ears at an inner end portion thereof is attached to one of the opposite lateral portions of the support member such that the ears extend in opposite directions with respect to one another from the support member. Each ear has a slot open at its outer end and closed at its inner end that is configured to receive a urinal mounting bolt. The main portion of the support member has an inner surface configured to interface with an end portion of a tube and an adjacent annular flange of a urinal flange device.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to urinal installation, and more particularly, is concerned with a urinal coupling device and assembly and a urinal coupling assembly installation method.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A urinal flange device is commonly used to couple a urinal to a drainpipe that extends through a wall, such as a vertical wall, to receive and carry off effluent to a sewer. An example of a urinal flange device10known in the prior art is shown inFIG. 1. The urinal flange device10may be made of a suitable plastic, such as corrosion resistant PVC. The urinal flange device10includes a cylindrical hub or tube12, an annular flange14integrally attached to, extending about and radially outward from a front end portion12A of the tube12, and a pair of wings16integrally attached to opposite sides of the annular flange14and extending outward in opposite directions therefrom. Each wing16has a row of side-by-side apertures18formed therethrough. The selected ones of the apertures18of the wings16receive and generally position urinal mounting bolts (the same as the ones shown inFIG. 6in association with the urinal coupling assembly of the invention) so that they are deployed to protrude forwardly of the wings16and may extend through matching apertures in the urinal19in order to mount and fasten the urinal19against the wall20, typically a vertical wall.

A tubular end portion22of a drainpipe (not shown) extends through, and at a front edge portion22A thereof is open and protrudes from, a passage24through the wall20. The drainpipe tubular end portion22extends from a back side20A of the wall20to a front side20B thereof. A tubular main body12B of the tube12of the urinal flange device10, which extends rearwardly from the annular flange14to a rear end portion12C of the tube12, inserts through the open front edge portion end22A of the drainpipe tubular end portion22and into the interior22B thereof where the tube12and the drainpipe tubular end portion22are glued together. An annular gasket (not shown) is typically deployed between a lower portion of the urinal and a front face14A of the annular flange14on the tube12of the urinal flange device10, about a protruding front edge12D of the tubular main body12B so as to provide a seal therebetween.

All too often, such as during installation of a urinal, there occurs an over-tightening of the urinal mounting bolts, and also the possibility a misalignment of the apertures of the urinal with the apertures of the wings16of the urinal flange device10which receive the urinal mounting bolts. These occurrences may result in the distortion or disfigurement of the urinal flange device wings16, which over time may lead to their break off so as to adversely affect the mounting of the urinal to the wall, thus requiring repair steps to be taken. The necessary repair steps typically require the removal of the urinal from the wall and portions of the wall cut open to gain access to the broken urinal flange device10in order to remove and replace it.

Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for an innovation that will provide a way to prevent the aforementioned occurrences from arising.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is an innovation that overcomes the deficiencies of the known art and the problems that remain unsolved by providing a urinal coupling device and assembly and urinal coupling assembly installation method that reduce the possibility of aforementioned undesirable occurrences from arising.

In one aspect of the present invention, a urinal coupling device includes:at least one support member having a pair of opposite lateral portions and a main portion of an arcuate configuration extending between and rigidly interconnecting the opposite lateral portions; anda pair of ears each at an inner end portion thereof being attached to one of the opposite lateral portions of the support member such that the ears extend in opposite directions with respect to one another from the support member, each of the ears being configured to receive a urinal mounting bolt;wherein the main portion of the support member has an inner surface configured to interface with a portion of a tube of a urinal flange device adjacent to annular flange of the urinal flange device.

In another aspect of the present invention, each of the ears is bifurcated so as to form a pair of segments extending one above the other, substantially parallel to one another, and being spaced apart so as to define therebetween a mounting slot having an open outer end and a closed inner end at the inner end portion of the ear and thereby configured to receive insertion of an end of the urinal mounting bolt within the mounting slot via the open outer end thereof. The mounting slots of the ears are spaced apart from one another, aligned with one another, and extend in opposite directions away from one another.

In another aspect of the present invention, the at least one support member is a pair of support members being pivotally connected together at one of the opposite lateral portions of the support members so as to undergo pivoting relative to one another from an opened position, wherein the pair of support members and the ears therewith are angularly displaced apart so as to enable insertion of the support members to a position aligned between the annular flange of the urinal flange device and a wall having a passage receiving therethrough an end portion of an effluent drainpipe, to a closed position, wherein the pair of support members are located adjacent to one another with the ears on each of the opposite lateral portions of the pair of support members disposed adjacent to one another and extending in opposite directions from the annular flange of the urinal flange device such that the mounting slots of the ears are aligned with one another so that the urinal mounting bolts extending from the mounting slots are positioned to couple with a urinal apparatus.

In another aspect of the present invention, the support members and ears thereon have respective pairs of opposite side faces that are substantially co-planar with one another.

In another aspect of the present invention, the main portion of the support member has an annular configuration and extends in a co-planar relationship with the ears being located at the opposite lateral portions of the support member. An inner surface of the main portion of the support member has a cylindrical shape so as to configure the support member to overlie and extend about the portion of the tube of the urinal flange device adjacent to the annular flange of the urinal flange device.

In another aspect of the present invention, the inner surface of the main portion of the support member has a semi-cylindrical shape so as to configure the support member to overlie and interface with the portion of the tube of the urinal flange device adjacent to the annular flange of the urinal flange device.

In another aspect of the present invention, a urinal coupling assembly includes:a urinal flange device comprisinga tube configured to interface with an end portion of an effluent drainpipe extending through a wall, andan annular flange attached about a portion of the tube at a location spaced from the wall; anda urinal coupling device comprisingat least one support member having a pair of opposite lateral portions and a main portion of an arcuate configuration extending between and rigidly interconnecting the opposite lateral portions, anda pair of ears each at an inner end portion thereof being attached to one of the opposite lateral portions of the support member such that the ears extend in opposite directions with respect to each other from the support member, each of the ears being configured to receive a urinal mounting bolt,wherein the main portion of the support member has an inner surface configured to interface with a portion of the tube of the urinal flange device adjacent to the annular flange of the urinal flange device.

In another aspect of the present invention, a urinal coupling assembly installation method includes:inserting a urinal coupling device between a wall and an annular flange on a tube of a urinal flange device disposed adjacent to a passage in the wall;positioning the urinal coupling device relative to the annular flange of the urinal flange device such that an inner surface of the urinal coupling device interfaces with a portion of the tube of the urinal flange device adjacent to the annular flange of the urinal flange device and such that a pair of ears of the urinal coupling device extend past opposite lateral sides of the annular flange of the urinal flange device in positions to receive urinal mounting bolts; andinstalling the urinal mounting bolts in the ears of the urinal coupling device so that the urinal mounting bolts extend forwardly from the ears of the urinal coupling device and past the annular flange of the urinal flange device in positions to be coupled with a urinal apparatus.

In another aspect of the present invention, the method also includes:prior to inserting the urinal coupling device between the wall and the annular flange on the tube of the urinal flange device, pivoting a pair of support members of the urinal coupling device in directions away from one another so as to place the urinal coupling device in an opened position in which the urinal coupling device does not interface with the portion of the tube of the urinal flange device adjacent to the annular flange thereof; andafter inserting the urinal coupling device between the wall and the annular flange on the tube of the urinal flange device, pivoting the pair of support members of the urinal coupling device in directions toward one another so as to place the urinal coupling device in a closed position in which the urinal coupling device interfaces with the portion of the tube of the urinal flange device adjacent to the annular flange thereof.

In another aspect of the present invention, the method further includes installing the urinal mounting bolts in the ears of the urinal coupling device by sliding each of the urinal mounting bolts along a slot in each of the ears of the urinal coupling device from an open outer end toward a closed inner end of the slot so as to place the bolts in positions to be coupled with a urinal apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now toFIGS. 2 and 3, there is illustrated an exemplary embodiment of a urinal coupling device, generally designated100, in accordance with an aspect of the present invention, for use in performance of a repair service or an original installation. InFIG. 2, the urinal coupling device100is shown in an opened position, whereas inFIG. 3it is shown in a closed position. The urinal coupling device100and a wingless urinal flange device102, as seen inFIG. 4, constitute a urinal coupling assembly, as generally designated104inFIGS. 5-8, in accordance with another aspect of the present invention. The wingless urinal flange device102is the same as the prior art urinal flange device10shown inFIG. 1except that the device102is now wingless. The pair of wings16on the prior art urinal flange device10shown inFIG. 1have been removed either during the performance of a repair service call after the wings16have failed during the period of use of the device10or as a preventive measure prior to the original installation of the device10, in view that the function of the wings16will now be performed by the installation of the urinal coupling device100as per the urinal coupling assembly installation method in accordance with another aspect of the present invention, which will be described later below.

As shown inFIGS. 2-8, the urinal coupling device100includes a pair of support members106and a respective pair of ears108,110on each support member106. Each support member106has a pair of opposite lateral portions106A and a main portion106B extending between and rigidly connected with the opposite lateral portions106A at opposite ends of the main portion. The main portion106B of each support member106has an arched-shaped or arcuate-shaped configuration. The respective pairs of ears108,110at their inner end portions108A,110A are integrally attached, or rigidly connected, to the corresponding opposite lateral portions106A of the respective support members106such that the respective pairs of ears108,110on corresponding ones of the support members106extend in opposite directions with respect to each other from the support members106. The respective pairs of ears108,110and the adjacent opposite lateral portions106A of the support members106share opposite side faces108C,108D and110C,110D and the same thicknesses therebetween. The main portions106B of the support members106have opposite side faces106C,106D and the same respective thickness therebetween, which is equal to the combined thicknesses of the respective pairs of ears108,110and adjacent opposite lateral portions106A.

More particularly, the respective ears108,110are bifurcated so as to form a pair of segments108B of the ear108and a pair of segments110B of the ear110. The segments108B of the pair thereof of the ear108are integrally attached to the inner end portion108A of the ear108and extend straight away from the inner end portion108A, one above the other and substantially parallel to one another. The segments110B of the pair thereof of the ear110are integrally attached to the inner end portion110A of the ear110and extend straight away from the inner end portion110A, one above the other and substantially parallel to one another. The pairs of segments108B,110B of the respective ears108,110are spaced apart so as to define therebetween respective mounting slots112,114of the ears108,110. Each slot112,114has an open outer end112A,114A and a closed inner end112B,114B at the inner end portions108A,110A of the respective ears108,110. The mounting slots112,114extent substantially straight and as such are thereby configured to receive insertion of respective urinal mounting bolts116at least adjacent to their head ends116A within the mounting slots112,114via the open outer ends112A,114A of the slots. Also, the mounting slots112,114of the corresponding ears108,110are spaced apart from one another, aligned with one another, and extend in opposite directions away from one another.

The two support members106of the urinal coupling device100are pivotally connected together by a pin or rivet118extending through matching apertures120(best seen inFIG. 8) formed at a single location of the merger of the inner end portions110A of a corresponding one pair of the ears110with one pair of the opposite lateral portions106A of the support members106so as to undergo pivoting, relative to one another solely along a common plane, between an opened position, as seen inFIG. 2, and a closed position, as seen inFIG. 3. In the opened position ofFIG. 2the pair of support members106and the ears108,110therewith are angularly displaced sufficiently apart (with the mounting slots112,114of the pairs of ears108,110misaligned with one another) so as to enable insertion of the support members106to a position aligned between the annular flange14of the wingless urinal flange device102and the wall20having the passage20receiving therethrough the end portion22of the effluent drainpipe. In the closed position ofFIG. 3, the pair of support members106are located near to one another and their respective pairs of ears108,110attached on each of the opposite lateral portions106B of the support members106are juxtaposed, or side-by-side, to one another and extend in opposite directions from the annular flange14of the wingless urinal flange device102such that the mounting slots112,114of the pairs of ears108,110are aligned with one another so that the urinal mounting bolts116extending from the mounting slots112,114are positioned to couple with the urinal19. Also, one of the pair of opposite side faces106C on the main portions106B of the support members106and one of the pair of opposite side faces108C,110C of the ears108,110(with adjacent opposite lateral portions106A of the support members106) are co-planar with one another, while the other of the pair of opposite side faces106D on the main portions106B of the support members106are slightly offset from the other of the opposite side faces108D,110D of the ears108,110(also on the opposite lateral portions106A of the support members106). Thus, when the support members106and their ears108,110are in the closed position ofFIG. 3the other opposite side faces108D,110D of the ears108,110(also on the adjacent opposite lateral portions106A of the support members106) will be juxtaposed, or side-by-side, to one another, while the other opposite side faces106C on the main portions106B of the support members106and the one opposite side faces108C,110C of the ears108,110(also on the adjacent opposite lateral portions106A of the support members106) are disposed co-planar with one another. Thus, the pair of support members106and their respective pairs of ears108,110are substantially identical and also are interchangeable. The offset relationship of the side faces106D on the main portions106B of the support members106and the side faces108D,110D of the ears108,110(also on the adjacent opposite lateral portions106A of the support members106) provide recesses that are configured to allow pivoting of the support members106relative to one another, about the rivet118adjacent the inner end portions110A of the one opposing pair of ears110and along the common plane, between the opened and closed positions ofFIGS. 2-3and a bottoming or abutting of opposing respective ones of the pairs of ears108,110against the corresponding ones of the opposite ends of the main portions106B of the support members106upon reaching the opened and closed position, as seen inFIGS. 2-3.

Each of the main portions106B of the support members106has an inner surface106E of a substantially semi-cylindrical shape and thus being configured to interface with a correspondingly shaped portion of the tube12of the wingless urinal flange device102adjacent to the annular flange14thereof. The main portions106B of the support members106, when taken together, have an annular configuration and extend in a co-planar relationship with the ears108,110being located at the opposite lateral portions106A of the support members106. The inner surfaces106E of the main portions106B of the support members106, when taken together, define a cylindrical shape so as to configure the support members106to overlie and extend about the portion of the tube12of the wingless urinal flange device102adjacent to the annular flange14of the urinal flange device102.

It should be understood that the urinal coupling device100may perform adequately using only one of the support members106(such as the upper one of the support members106shown inFIGS. 2 and 3and thereby omitting the lower one) to overlie the tube12and with its ears108,110extending beyond the opposite lateral sides of the wingless urinal flange device102.

Referring toFIGS. 9 and 10, there is illustrated an alternative embodiment of a urinal coupling device, generally designated200, in accordance with another aspect of the present invention. Unless otherwise indicated, like features of the urinal coupling devices100and200are numbered the same except preceded by the numeral ‘2’. The urinal coupling device200is of a one-piece construction in which a main portion206B of the support member206has an annular configuration and extends in a co-planar relationship with the ears208,210being located and attached at the opposite lateral portions206A of the support member206. The inner surface206E of the main portion206B of the support member206has a cylindrical shape so as to configure the support member206to overlie and surround or extend about the portion of the tube12of the wingless urinal flange device102adjacent to the annular flange14thereof. The alternative urinal coupling device200may be separate from or bonded to the annular flange14. Also, the two embodiments of the urinal coupling device100,200may be constructed of a suitable metal, such as steel, whereas the wingless urinal flange device102may still be made from a suitable plastic.

It should be understood from the above description that in the case of either the exemplary or the alternative embodiment of the urinal coupling device100or200, their opposite side faces will sit flush against the wall20and the annular flange14of the wingless urinal flange device102, as shown in the case of the urinal coupling device100inFIG. 8. Consequently, when the urinal19is fastened to the flange14of the wingless urinal flange device102via either of the urinal coupling device100or200, the material of the wall20typically gives or subsides sufficiently to allow the head end116A of each urinal mounting bolt116to impress onto the surface of the wall20.

The exemplary and alternative embodiments of the urinal coupling assembly104and204, as respectively seen inFIGS. 5-8andFIG. 10, are constituted by either embodiment of the urinal coupling device100or200, as previously described above, together with the wingless urinal flange device102, as describe previously above. The method of installing the urinal coupling assembly104or204basically involves the steps of: inserting the tube12of a wingless urinal flange device102into the tubular end portion22of the drainpipe protruding from the passage24through the wall20until the annular flange14on the end12A of the tube12abuts the tubular end portion22of the drainpipe protruding from the passage24in the wall20; adhering the tube12of the wingless urinal flange device102to the tubular end portion22of the drainpipe; inserting the urinal coupling device100or200between the wall20and the annular flange14on the tube12of the wingless urinal flange device102being disposed adjacent to the passage24in the wall20; positioning the urinal coupling device100or200relative to the annular flange14of the wingless urinal flange device102such that the corresponding inner surface106E or206E of the urinal coupling device100or200interfaces with a portion of the tube12of the wingless urinal flange device102adjacent to the annular flange14thereof such that the pair of ears108,110or208,210of the urinal coupling device100or200extend past opposite lateral sides of the annular flange14of the wingless urinal flange device102in positions to receive urinal mounting bolts; and installing the urinal mounting bolts in the ears108,110or208,210of the urinal coupling device100or200so that the urinal mounting bolts116extend forwardly from the ears108,110or208,210and past the annular flange14of the wingless urinal flange device102in positions to be coupled with the urinal19.

Also, with respect to only the exemplary embodiment, prior to inserting the urinal coupling device100between the wall20and the annular flange14on the tube12of the wingless urinal flange device102, the support members106of the urinal coupling device100are pivotally moved in directions away from one another so as to place the urinal coupling device100in the opened position in which the urinal coupling device100does not interface with the portion of the tube12of the wingless urinal flange device102adjacent to the annular flange14thereof. Further, with respect to only the exemplary embodiment, after inserting the urinal coupling device100between the wall20and the annular flange14on the tube12of the wingless urinal flange device102, the support members106of the urinal coupling device100are pivotally moved in directions toward one another so as to place the urinal coupling device100in the closed position in which the urinal coupling device100interfaces with the portion of the tube12of the wingless urinal flange device102adjacent to the annular flange14thereof. With respect to both the exemplary and alternative embodiments, the installing the urinal mounting bolts116in the ears108,110or208,210of the urinal coupling device100or200involves sliding each of the urinal mounting bolts116along the slot112,114or212,214in the respective the ears108,110or208,210of the urinal coupling device100or200from the open outer end112A,114A or212A,214A toward the closed inner end112B,114B or212B,214B of the slot112,114or212,214to place the bolts116in positions to be coupled with the urinal19.

The above-described embodiments are merely exemplary illustrations of implementations set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the invention. Many variations, combinations, modifications or equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all the embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.