Abstract:
A toilet trip lever assembly provides a lever arm that extends in the tank perpendicular to the tank wall. As an outer handle is rotated, it drives a stem, which in turn drives an arm inside the tank that extends parallel to the tank wall, which pushes down an end of a lever. A support holds the lever such that downward movement of that end of the lever drives the opposite end of the lever up. The opposite end of the lever is connected to a linkage to a flush valve.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
         [0001]    Not applicable.  
         STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT  
         [0002]    Not applicable.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    The present invention relates to trip lever assemblies. It is especially well suited to provide toilet trip lever assemblies that control flush valves that are located at or near the bottom of toilet tanks.  
           [0004]    A variety of toilet trip lever assemblies are well known. These assemblies are typically mounted on a side wall of a toilet tank with a handle positioned outside the tank and linked to a stem. The stem is rotatably mounted through the tank wall. A trip arm (which typically extends along the tank wall from the stem) is connected to the stem inside the toilet tank.  
           [0005]    One end of the trip arm is connected to a chain, which in turn is linked to the usual toilet tank outlet valve. When a user rotates the handle, the trip arm is caused to pivot, thereby moving up its outer end, which in turn yanks the chain up, and thus the tank outlet valve.  
           [0006]    Depending upon space limitations in the tank, and the exterior configuration of the tank desired, it is sometimes desirable that rotation of the handle produce a pivoting of the trip arm in a plane which is perpendicular (not parallel) to the wall through which the lever is mounted. There have been some assemblies which have achieved this result.  
           [0007]    For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,555,620 provided a toilet trip lever in which both the outer handle and the inner lever arm pivoted perpendicular to the tank wall. Unfortunately, this required the handle to jut out a significant distance from the tank wall, and provided poor leverage characteristics.  
           [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,419,912 disclosed an improved perpendicular type toilet trip lever (where the outer handle rotated in a conventional manner). A very short arm pivoted with the stem that passed through the wall. That arm in turn pushed up a perpendicular lever arm that was supported on a bracket. Because of the construction of the mechanism, a relatively large angle of rotation of the handle was required to activate the valve. Furthermore, the device was relatively costly to manufacture and assemble.  
           [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,575,881 provided another perpendicular type toilet trip lever. However, the parts of that assembly were somewhat difficult to adjust to account for certain variations in the toilet wall thickness. Also, certain of the plastic parts could break if not carefully handled.  
           [0010]    Therefore, a need still exists for an improved “perpendicular” type toilet trip lever assembly.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0011]    In one aspect the present invention provides a trip lever assembly mountable through a hole of a tank wall. There is a rotatable stem extendable through the hole, a handle mountable to an outer end of the stem, and an arm mountable to an inner end of the stem so as to rotate with the stem, the arm then being extendable along the wall.  
           [0012]    There is also a support mountable inside the tank, and a lever mountable for pivoting on the support, with the lever then extending from a position adjacent the wall towards a position farther away from the wall. When the trip lever assembly is mounted through said tank wall hole, rotation of the handle can cause the arm to drive an end of the lever which is adjacent the wall down, and an opposite end of the lever up.  
           [0013]    In preferred forms there is a chain linked to the opposite end of the lever and a flush valve link to the chain. Also, the stem can be surrounded by a bushing, and the bushing can cooperate with the handle to limit rotational movement of the handle. The bushing can be outwardly threaded, and a nut can be provided with internal threads to thread onto the bushing threads.  
           [0014]    There can also be an escutcheon positionable adjacent the handle outside the tank wall, the escutcheon having a locating member for locating the escutcheon in the hole of the tank wall. The bushing can include ribs or ridges sized and dimensioned to deform as they are inserted into the escutcheon to provide a tight fit.  
           [0015]    In especially preferred forms a contact surface of each of the arm and lever (which contact each other) are a rolled surface, the support is an L-bracket with a mounting hole for mounting the L-bracket over the hole in the wall, the mounting hole includes a rolled tab, and the support has another hole into which the arm projects.  
           [0016]    In another aspect the invention provides a combined toilet tank and trip lever assembly. There is a tank having a bottom wall and surrounding side walls. There is a hole through a side wall. There is also a flush valve mounted in a lower portion of the tank.  
           [0017]    A rotatable stem extends through the hole in the tank side wall, a handle is mounted to an outer end of the stem, and an arm is mounted to an inner end of the stem so as to rotate with the stem, the arm then extending essentially parallel to the side wall through which the stem extends.  
           [0018]    There is also a support mounted inside the tank. A lever is mounted for pivoting on the support, with the lever then extending essentially perpendicular to the side wall through which the stem extends between a position adjacent that wall towards a position farther away from that wall. Rotation of the handle causes the arm to drive a part of the lever down, and an opposite part of the lever up.  
           [0019]    The location of the pivot point along the support is such that a relatively small angle of rotation of the stem causes the lever to lift the chain sufficiently to flush the toilet. Rotation of the stem beyond the desired point is limited by interaction of the handle and bushing, thereby preventing the arm from “clinking” or “tapping” on the bottom side of the tank lid.  
           [0020]    The advantage of the present invention therefore include, without limitation, providing a perpendicular type toilet trip lever which is easy to produce, easy to assemble, inexpensive, and reliable. Relatively small movement of the handle creates the necessary movement of the chain. Still other advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the description below. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0021]    [0021]FIG. 1 is a view, partially in vertical cross section, of a toilet tank employing a trip lever assembly of the present invention, with the lever assembly mounted on a side wall;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the trip lever assembly, with a fragmented portion of the tank wall also shown;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line  3 - 3  of FIG. 4;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 4 is a view taken along line  4 - 4  of FIG. 6;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 5 is a view taken along line  5 - 5  of FIG. 6; FIG. 5A is a further enlarged view taken of the detail portion  5 A- 5 A of FIG. 5;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the trip lever assembly of the present invention, mounted on a toilet tank wall, and in a position where the flush valve of the tank would be seated in a closed position;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6, but with the valve in a position where the flush valve would be above its seated position so as to be open; and  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but with the handle in the FIG. 7 position in dotted lines. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0029]    [0029]FIG. 1 shows a toilet trip lever assembly  10  of the present invention mounted on a side wall  11  of a conventional toilet tank  12 . An outlet pipe  13  leads to the usual toilet bowl (not shown), and is sealed by an outlet flush valve  14 . It should be appreciated that the specifics of the flush valve mechanism are not critical, and that a wide variety of other such mechanisms which are activated by an upward yank can be used with the present invention.  
         [0030]    The usual inlet pipe  15  is connected to a conventional inlet valve  16 , which is controlled by a float  17  in a conventional manner. A chain  18  or other linkage connects the trip assembly  10  of the present invention to the outlet flush valve  14 , to control lifting of the outlet valve  14  off of its seat when the trip assembly  10  is operated. Lifting the valve  14  off of its seat on the outlet pipe  13  causes the toilet to flush, as is well known.  
         [0031]    Referring now to FIG. 2, an exploded view of the toilet trip lever assembly  10  of the present invention is shown. An actuating assembly has a handle  20 , a bushing  24 , and a rotatable trip pin  32 . The pin  32  is coupled to a stem  42  of the handle  20  with a threaded fastener  34 . The handle  20  is provided on the outside of the tank wall  11 , with a decorative escutcheon  22 , while the bushing  24  and trip pin  32  extend through an aperture  25  of the toilet tank wall  11 .  
         [0032]    An arm assembly has an L-bracket  26  and lever arm  28 , which pivots about a pin  80 . The L-bracket is located inside the toilet tank against the wall  11 . The actuating assembly and arm assembly are clamped to the tank wall with a nut  30  threading onto threads  52  of the bushing  24 .  
         [0033]    The handle  20  is preferably substantially rectangular, with a planar front wall  35  and side walls  37 . First and second vertical cross bars  36  and  38  extend from the top and bottom side walls  37  to a stem  42  positioned at a substantially central location between the top and bottom wall. The stem  42  extends from the front wall  35  of the handle  20  in a direction substantially perpendicular to the front wall  35 . A horizontal cross bar  40  extends from a side wall  37  to the stem  42 . The horizontal cross bar  40  acts as a rotational stop for the handle  20  as described more fully below.  
         [0034]    The distal end of the stem  42  includes a threaded receptacle  46  and a generally rectangular locator element  44  sized and dimensioned to mate with the rotatable trip pin  32 . The bushing  24  is received in the handle  20 . The outwardly facing end of the bushing  24  comprises a planar circular element  47  that includes a generally circular ridge  48  extending outward in a direction substantially perpendicular to the planar element  47 .  
         [0035]    An opening  50  defined in the circular ridge  48  provides first and second stop elements  49  and  51 . The stop elements  49  and  51  work with the horizontal cross bar  40  in the handle  20  to limit rotation of the handle  20 . The back side of the bushing  24  comprises a threaded sleeve  52 , a square mounting section  54  and associated “crush ribs” or ridges  56 . The square mounting section  54  is sized and dimensioned to slide into an aperture in the escutcheon  22 . As the square mounting  54  is slid into position, the associated ridges  56  are deformed or crushed to provide a tight fit between the bushing  24  and the escutcheon  22 , thereby locking the bushing in a substantially stationary position as shown in FIG. 5A. The escutcheon  22  includes a generally rectangular aperture  58  sized and dimensioned to receive the mounting section  54  of the bushing  24 .  
         [0036]    Referring now to FIG. 5, the bushing  24  is inserted into the aperture  58  from the front of the escutcheon  22  until the mounting section  54  and associated ridges  56  extend through and are deformed are crushed against the aperture  58  defined in the escutcheon  22  to provide a tight fit, as shown in FIG. 5A. First and second semicircular locating ridges  60  and  62  extend in a generally perpendicular position from the escutcheon  22  and provide a means for locating the escutcheon  22  within the aperture  25  of the tank wall  11 .  
         [0037]    Referring now to FIG. 7, the L-bracket  26  comprises first and second perpendicular walls  64  and  66 . When assembled the first wall  64  is positioned against the internal tank wall  11 , in a plane substantially parallel to the tank wall  11 . The wall  64  includes an aperture which is positioned around the aperture  25  in the tank wall  11  and which receives the threaded shaft  52  of the bushing  24 .  
         [0038]    As seen in FIG. 2, the side walls of the aperture  68  each include a rolled tab  74  and  76  which is a piece of the L-bracket  26  which is rolled substantially 90° backwards and is sized and dimensioned to provide a locating element for attaching the L-bracket  26  to the aperture  25  in the toilet wall  11 . The aperture  68  further includes vertically-directed tabs  70  and  72  which are used to locate the bushing  24  in the aperture  68  and to limit motion of the bushing  24  vertically.  
         [0039]    The second wall  66  extends further into the tank in a direction substantially perpendicular to the tank wall  11 . The arm  28  is coupled to the outer side of the wall  66  on the side furthest from the first wall  64  the L-bracket  26 . The arm  28  is coupled to the wall  66  through a glide bearing  82  and a pivot pin  80 . The pivot pin  80  can comprise a threaded fastener or other devices known to those of skill in the art, but preferably comprises a rivet which is inexpensive and easy to manufacture.  
         [0040]    At a first distal end of the arm  28 , an aperture  84  is defined for receiving the usual chain  18  or another linkage for operating the outlet flush valve  14 . At the opposing distal end of the arm  28  is a lever section  86  which is activated by the trip pin  32  to activate the arm  28 .  
         [0041]    The location of the pivot point defined by the pin  80  is provided in the L-bracket  26  at a location selected to provide a relatively large movement of the aperture  84  for a minimal rotation of the lever section  86 . Furthermore, the lever section  86  is vertically offset from the axis  81  (FIG. 7) at a location vertically below the pivot pin  80 , thereby also aiding in providing a flush with a small axis of rotation of the handle. The top of the lever section  86  is rolled, providing a surface of contact between the lever section  86  and the rotation trip pin  32 . The lever section  86  is accessible to the trip pin  32  through an aperture  78  in the wall  66  of the L-bracket  26 .  
         [0042]    The rotatable trip pin  32  mounts on the square mounting post  44  of the stem  42  of the handle  20 . The rotatable trip pin  32  further comprises a lever section  90  which, as described with reference to the lever section  86  above, comprises a rolled surface. The trip pin  32  is aligned along an axis  83  (FIG. 7) substantially parallel to the tank wall  11 .  
         [0043]    Assembly of the device can be achieved quickly, and without requiring special tools. The bushing  24  includes crush ribs or ridges  56  which deform as they are slid into the escutcheon  22  to provide a tight fit. The escutcheon  22  further includes locating ridges  60  and  62  which are sized and dimensioned to quickly align the escutcheon with the aperture  25  in the tank wall  11 . Similarly, the rolled tabs  74  and  76  in the aperture  78  of the L-bracket  26  provides for simplified alignment of the L-bracket  26  in the aperture  25  of the tank wall  11 . Other features which simplify manufacturing include the alignment tabs  70  and  72  in the aperture  78  of the L-bracket  26 , which align the bushing  24  in the aperture  25 , and the mounting element at the distal end of the stem  42  which mates to the aperture in the trip pin  32 .  
         [0044]    Furthermore, although these elements simplify alignment of the constituent parts in the trip lever assembly  10 , each of these elements includes sufficient “play” to allow for alignment despite variations in the vitreous china used to make the tank. Additionally, the arm  28  preferably comprises a malleable metal material which can be bent as necessary to account for such variations in the tank.  
         [0045]    To assemble the trip lever assembly  10 , the escutcheon  22  is aligned with the aperture  25  in the tank wall  11 . The actuating assembly comprising the handle  20 , bushing  24 , and trip lever  32  is then slid through the escutcheon  22  and the aperture  25  in the tank wall  11 , such that the threaded sleeve  52  of the bushing  24  extends through the aperture  25 . The aperture  78  of the L-bracket  26  is aligned over the sleeve  52  and around the aperture  25  from the inside of the tank wall  11 , such that the arm  28  extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the tank wall  11 . When the L-bracket  26  and escutcheon  22  are in place, a threaded nut  30  is coupled over the sleeve  52 , locking the bushing  24 , L-bracket  26 , and escutcheon  22  in place on the tank wall  11 .  
         [0046]    As assembled, the handle  20  aligned such that the horizontal cross bar  40  is positioned in the aperture  50  between the stop surfaces  49  and  51 . In operation the handle  20  is turned in a clockwise direction by a user to trigger the lift arm  28  from the “closed” position of FIG. 6 to the “open” position of FIG. 7, thereby selectively flushing the toilet.  
         [0047]    As the handle  20  is turned, the horizontal cross bar  40  inside of the handle  20  is rotated about the stem  42 . Rotation of the handle  20  is limited by the stop elements  49  and  51  of the bushing  24 , which is held stationary by the nut  30 , which locks the bushing in place. The stop elements  49  and  51  prevent the horizontal cross bar  40  from rotating beyond a defined angle of rotation, and therefore further prevent unwanted interaction or “clinking” between the metal arm  28  and the top of the toilet tank.  
         [0048]    As the handle  20  is turned, the stem  42  is rotated, thereby causing the trip pin  32  to rotate toward the lever section  86  of the arm  28 . As the trip pin  32  is rotated, the rolled portion of the trip pin  32  contacts the rolled portion of the lever section  86  causing the arm  28  to pivot about the pin  80  as shown in FIG. 7. Rotation about the pin  80  causes the lever section  86  to rotate downward toward the bottom of the tank and the opposing end of the arm  28 , including the aperture  84 , to rotate upward toward the top of the tank.  
         [0049]    As the aperture  84  moves up, the outlet valve  14  coupled to the valve is lifted, as shown in FIG. 1, causing the water to flush through the pipe  13 . The slide bearing  82  limits both noise and friction between the pin  80  and arm  28  as the arm rotates. The rolled surfaces of the trip pin  32  and lever section  86  produce relatively little noise on contact, and further provide a longer-wearing contact surface. Therefore, the design of the present invention provides a relatively quiet but durable construction.  
         [0050]    Furthermore, the relative positioning of the pivot point about the pin  80  in the arm  28  assures that a relatively small angle of rotation of the handle will provide a sufficient rise of the aperture  84  to activate the valve  14 , and to provide a flush of the toilet. As the operator rotates the handle  20  in a clockwise direction, an angle of rotation in a range of about twenty-eight to thirty degrees effects a flush. Preferably, the angle of rotation is twenty-nine degrees plus or minus half of a degree.  
         [0051]    As will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described above. Modifications and variations to the preferred embodiment may be made within the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, variations in the angle of rotation of the handle and the lift of the arm can be effected by modifying the pivot point of the arm  28 , the length of the arm  28 , and the position of the stop elements  49  and  51  in the bushing  24 . Furthermore, although a rectangular handle has been described, handles in a variety of shapes can be employed. Therefore, the invention is not to be limited to the described embodiment. To ascertain the full scope of the invention, the following claims should be referenced.  
       Industrial Applicability  
       [0052]    The present invention provides a toilet trip lever assembly.