Abstract:
A toilet unclogging device rests on top of a toilet bowl rim and a user actuating a diaphragm or expandable central portion generates a temporary vacuum that repositions or reshapes an obstruction located below a water line to unclog the toilet without submerging any items beneath the water line of the toilet bowl.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/714,608, filed Mar. 5, 2007, which claims the benefit of the filing date under 35 USC §119(e) of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/780,769 filed Mar. 9, 2006 the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]      FIG. 1  is a section view of a toilet  100 . The toilet may have a seat  142  and a lid  140 . The toilet  100  has a tank  104  in fluid and air communication with a bowl  106  through a series of jets  108 . The tank  104  holds a volume of water in an inner tank area  110 . A flush handle  112  is coupled to a flush valve  114  with a chain or rope. When the flush handle  112  is actuated by a user, the chain or rope causes the flush valve  114  to open and the water in the inner tank area  110  flows towards and then through the jets  108  and into an inner toilet bowl area  116 . Water and waste in the inner toilet bowl area  116  then flows through a siphon  118  near the base of the toilet bowl  106  which is in fluid communication with a sewer pipe  120 . The flush valve  114  eventually closes and the tank  104  starts filling back up with water for the next flush. A filler valve  128  allows water to flow through an overflow tube  102  and into the bowl  106  through the jets  108 . A filler float  126  closes off the filler valve  128  when water in the inner tank area  110  reaches a predetermined height and the toilet is ready to be flushed again. 
         [0003]    Toilet paper, paper towels, or other items dropped in the toilet bowl may become lodged in the siphon  118  and prevent the water and waste from exiting the inner toilet bowl area  116  which in turn can cause the water level in the inner toilet bowl area  116  to rise above a normal level  122 . If the water rises too high (above a toilet bowl rim  124 ), the toilet waste and water can spill on to the adjacent floor and cause damage. 
         [0004]    Plungers have been used for many years to help unclog a clogged toilet. These plungers typically have a rubber membrane in a hemispherical shape connected to a pole. The rubber membrane is submerged in a toilet bowl and the user pushes the pole downward numerous times in an attempt to push the clog towards the sewer line. Pushing the obstruction towards the sewer line often simply wedges the obstruction in place. The membrane returns to its original shape when pressure against the rim of the plunger is removed and the user can push again. Another drawback to this system is that the rubber membrane and a portion of the pole come into contact with the waste that would not flush which presents sanitation issues and limits where the plunger can be stored. 
         [0005]    Other unclogging devices have been placed on top of and secured to the toilet bowl rim with an adhesive. The user attempts to dislodge the clog by pushing a membrane downward (towards the water line in the toilet bowl area). This pushing motion attempts to move the clog by increasing the pressure in the area above the water line in the inner toilet bowl area. The problem with this type of system is that this increase in pressure often causes the flush valve to reopen which then adds more water to a toilet bowl area with an already elevated water line. Some of theses unclogging devices require the user to remove the tank cover and place a stopper over the top of the overflow tube to decrease the pressure loss. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    For a better understanding of the present invention, together with other objects, features and advantages, reference should be made to the following detailed description which should be read in conjunction with the following figures wherein like numerals represent like parts: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a section view of a toilet with a seat and a lid hinged in an upward position. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a section view of a clogged toilet and a first unclogging device in a first state consistent with a first embodiment of the invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a section view of a toilet with the unclogging device of  FIG. 2  in a second state and a reshaped or repositioned clog. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is an isometric view of the unclogging device of  FIG. 2  in the first state. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is an isometric view of the unclogging device of  FIG. 2  in the second state. 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a section view of a clogged toilet and a second unclogging device in a first state consistent with a second embodiment of the invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a section view of a toilet with the unclogging device of  FIG. 6  in a second state and a reshaped or repositioned clog. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]      FIG. 2  is a section view of a clogged toilet  100  and an unclogging device  200  in a first state consistent with a first embodiment of the invention and  FIG. 3  is a section view of the toilet  100  with the unclogging device  200  of  FIG. 2  in a second state. An obstruction  220  may be located in the siphon  118  which may cause the water level in the inner toilet bowl area  116  to rise to an elevated level  130 , above the normal level  122 . The unclogging device  200  may have a diaphragm  202  movable between the first state and the second state. In the first state, a central portion of the diaphragm  202  is closer to the water line  130  in the inner toilet bowl area  116  and in the second state the central portion of the diaphragm  202  is further away from the water line  130 . The diaphragm  202  may be a bellows and in the first state as shown in  FIG. 2  (compressed state) the bellows has a smaller internal volume than in the second state as shown in  FIG. 3  (extended state). The diaphragm shape may be circular, oval, rectangular, polygonal or other when viewed from above. A rectangular bellows having dimensions 5″×8″ and being 12″ tall in the expanded state has been shown to work well. 
         [0015]    The diaphragm  202  may be coupled to a base portion  204  that has a bottom surface  206 . The bottom surface  206  may be configured to contact the toilet bowl rim  124 . The base portion  204  may be sized such that the bottom surface  206  contacts a variety of differently sized and shaped toilet bowl rims. A handle portion  208  may be coupled to the diaphragm  202  for pulling the diaphragm  202  from the first state to the second state. Although the handle portion  208  is shown as a having an enclosed space for a hand to grasp, a handle could be considered any feature that can be grasped, seized, held, or taken advantage of in pulling the diaphragm to the second state. The handle does not have to be pulled vertically. Any diaphragm having a handle that can be pulled to create a temporary vacuum would work. The diaphragm  202  and the base portion  204  may be integrally formed at the same time of the same material or the may be formed separately and then coupled together. The diaphragm  202  may be made of any flexible material, including but not limited to rubber, plastic, fabric, reinforced plastic fabric, and reinforced PVC fabric, for example 0.040″ thick Durolast roofing material. 
         [0016]    To reposition or reshape the obstruction  220  and thereby unclog the toilet, the user places the base portion  204  with the bottom surface  206  of the unclogging device  200  into contact with the toilet bowl rim  124  forming a seal, maintains the bottom surface  206  in contact with the toilet bowl rim  124 , and then pulls quickly upward on the handle portion  208 . Obstructions are often repositioned and/or reshaped enough to cause the water level to return to a more normal level with a single pull. The user may maintain the bottom surface  206  of the base portion  204  in contact with toilet bowl rim with the user&#39;s non-handle pulling hand, and/or an opposite side foot or knee, or with the toilet seat  142 . A single pull of the handle portion  208  upward may create a temporary vacuum in the area above the water line in the inner toilet bowl area  116  which in turn may pull the whole obstruction  220  towards the water line in the toilet bowl or simply reposition or reshape the obstruction  220  enough that water in the inner toilet bowl area  116  can pass the obstruction  220 . Since proper actuation of the unclogging device from the first state to the second state causes the pressure in the area above the water line in the inner toilet bowl area  116  to decrease as opposed to increase, the flush valve will not be forced open (which would cause more water to enter the toilet bowl area). The distance the user moves the handle  208  and the rate at which the handle  208  is moved may affect the amount of temporary vacuum formed. Typically the pull is completed in less than two seconds. After the vacuum has moved the obstruction closer to the water line in the toilet bowl, the obstruction may be repositioned or reshaped and the passing water may then naturally move the obstruction  220  with it and travel down the sewer line  120 . If the obstruction  220  does not pass and the water level is low and safe, the user may then actuate the flush handle  112  on the toilet to add water above the obstruction  220 , which may naturally move the obstruction  220  towards the sewer line  120 . 
         [0017]    If the clog is still not repositioned or sufficiently reshaped, the user can separate the unclogging device  200  from the toilet bowl rim  124  enough to break the seal with the toilet bowl rim  124  in order to reset the bellows to the start position, and try again. The unclogging device  200  ideally never comes in contact with the water and waste in the inner toilet bowl area  116  and thus is more sanitary and efficient. The bellows can be returned to the compressed state for storage under a sink or in a closet. 
         [0018]    When the bottom surface  206  of the unclogging device  200  is placed in contact with the toilet bowl rim  124  and the diaphragm  202  is pulled upward, air may leak into the inner toilet bowl area  116  through the overflow tube which is fluidly open to the jets  108 , without adversely affecting the vacuum created and the successful operation; even without blocking air from entering the overflow tube  102  in the inner tank area  110 . 
         [0019]      FIG. 6  is a section view of a clogged toilet  100  and a second embodiment unclogging device  200 ′ in a first state consistent with a second embodiment of the invention and  FIG. 7  is a section view of the toilet  100  with the second embodiment unclogging device  200 ′ of  FIG. 6  in a second state. As shown, the diaphragm  202 ′ may have a hemispherical shape. In the first state, a central portion of the diaphragm  202 ′ may extend below the toilet bowl rim  124  and in the second state the central portion of the diaphragm may extend above the toilet bowl rim  124 . To reposition or reshape the obstruction  220  and thereby unclog the toilet, the user places a base portion  204 ′ with a bottom surface  206 ′ of the unclogging device  200 ′ into contact with the toilet bowl rim  124 , maintains the bottom surface  206 ′ in contact with the toilet bowl rim  124 , and then pulls quickly upward on a handle portion  208 ′. 
         [0020]    Although several preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail herein, the invention is not limited hereto. It will be appreciated by those having ordinary skill in the art that various modifications can be made without materially departing from the novel and advantageous teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the embodiments disclosed herein are by way of example. It is to be understood that the scope of the invention is not to be limited thereby.