Abstract:
A flush valve containing a flush drain entrance that while in a rest position is positioned above the water line so that there can be no leakage. When flushed, the entrance falls below the waterline, flushing the toilet bowl and then once again rises to a position above the waterline so that leakage cannot occur.

Description:
[0001]    This application refers to and claims benefit of previously filed provisional applications Nos. 60/324,367 and 60/327,946 and 60/348,246. 
     
    
     
       CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
         [0002]    Not Applicable  
         STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
         [0003]    Not Applicable  
         REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX  
         [0004]    Not Applicable  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    A typical toilet tank like that found in most homes has a flush valve located on the inside bottom of the toilet tank. A flapper resting on top of the flush valve stops the flow of water through the flush valve and forms a somewhat watertight seal. When the toilet handle is pushed downwards, the flapper is lifted allowing water to flow through the flush valve, flushing the toilet. The method of sealing the flush valve with a flapper is common. At some point, the underside of the flapper and the top portion of the flush valve that are in contact and forms a somewhat watertight seal degenerates and begins to leak. Leaking begets leaking and after some time a considerable amount of water is being wasted and the flush valve and flapper must be replaced.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    The object of the present invention is to provide a leak proof flush valve that will retrofit existing toilet tanks as well as be able to be installed in new toilet tanks. The Leak Proof Toilet Tank Flush Valve comprises a toilet tank flush entrance that normally rests in a position above the waterline so water can never leak into the flush entrance. Only when the toilet is being flushed does the entrance momentarily fall below the waterline so the water can enter the entrance of the drain and flush the toilet.  
           [0007]    An alternative design of the Leak Proof Toilet Tank Flush Valve incorporates the minimum number of components of the Leak Proof Toilet Tank Flush Valve necessary to operate the flush valve. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING  
       [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1 is perspective view of the fill valve.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 2 is perspective view of the flush basket.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 3 is another perspective view of the partially assembled flush handle mechanism.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the flush handle mechanism mounted onto the tank.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the flexible tubing.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the flush drain.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the clip.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the assembled parts with the tank filled with water  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the assembled parts during the flush cycle.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 10 is perspective view of the alternative fill valve.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 11 is perspective view of the alternative flexible tubing.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 12 is perspective view of the alternative flush handle.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 13 is perspective view of the alternative flush drain.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 14 is perspective view of all the alternative assembled parts.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 15 is perspective view of the alternative assembled parts during the flush cycle.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0023]    Referring to FIG. 1. The bottom threaded portion of fill valve  21  extends through a hole in the bottom of tank  2  and is first fastened to the tank  2  with a nut and then connected to a water supply. When the lever  25  is lifted upwards enough, the fill valve  21  is shut off. When the lever is slightly lowered as shown, the fill valve  21  is turned on and water flows into the tank  2  through tank fill holes  23  and into the bowl  4  through the bowl fill outlet  27  via a fill tube  31  (shown in FIG. 8).  
         [0024]    Referring to FIG. 2. The flush basket  1  having a drain  7  with side walls that extend both upwards and downwards through the base of flush basket  1  as shown. The top edge of the side walls of drain  7  are of sufficient height so that when the flush basket  1  is placed in a tank of water, the volume of water the flush basket  1  can hold without spilling over the upper edge of the side walls of drain  7  is sufficient in weight to sink the flush basket  1 . Drain holes  9  are positioned around the base of the side walls of drain  7  as shown. A guide hole support  3  extends from the side walls of drain  7  as shown and has a guide hole  5  positioned on the guide hole support  3  as shown. The flush basket  1  is made from a plastic or rubber material or another material that will perform the functions outlined here.  
         [0025]    Referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. The handle  57  has a lever  61  extending from it as shown. A threaded cylinder  59  slips over the lever  61  so one end is flush or nearly flush with the base of the cavity in handle  57  as shown. Two stops  67  extend inwards from the walls of the cavity in handle  57  as shown. A stop edge  69  extends outward from the threaded cylinder  59  and is positioned between the two stops  67  as shown. When the threaded cylinder  59  is held in place, the handle  57  is free to rotate in both directions about the central axis of threaded cylinder  59  with the two stops  67  defining the outer limits of the rotation. A pivot plate  63  has a notch at one end for engaging the threaded cylinder  59 . The flush lever  65  has a hole  70  that extends through flush lever  65  and pivot plate  63  and a pin  71  extending through hole  70  fastens the flush lever  65  and pivot plate  63  together so both can pivot about the central axis of pin  71 . The lever  61  and threaded cylinder  59  extends from the outside of tank  2  through a hole in tank  2  that is designed to accept handles. The notch in pivot plate  63  then engages threaded cylinder  59  and a threaded nut  73  is fastened onto threaded cylinder  59  fastening the handle mechanism to the tank  2  as shown. The handle  57  is free to rotate in both directions about the central axis of threaded cylinder  59  within the defined limits of rotation as previously described. The pivot plate  63  is pinched between the threaded nut  73  and the inside surface of tank  2  and is fixed in place. When handle  57  is rotated in the direction indicated by arrow  75  about the central axis of threaded cylinder  59 , lever  61  rotates in the same direction about the same axis pushing upwards on that portion of flush lever  65  that extends from one end of flush lever  65  as shown, causing flush lever  65  to rotate about pin  71  in the opposite direction as that indicated by arrow  75 .  
         [0026]    Referring to FIG. 5, The skin  18  of flexible tubing  17  is made of a water-resistant material that maintains the physical properties necessary to perform well in water and temperatures and with chemicals that are typically used in this environment. The flexible tubing is designed to stretch to two or more times its relaxed state length.  
         [0027]    Referring to FIG. 6. The bottom threaded portion of the flush drain  11  extends through a hole in the base of the tank  2  and is fastened to the tank  2  with a threaded nut. The guide rod  15  extends upwards. A gasket (not shown) is positioned between the flange  13  and the base of the tank  2  to form a watertight seal when the nut used to fasten the flush drain  11  to the tank  2  is tightened.  
         [0028]    Referring to FIG. 7. The diameter of hole  22  in the central portion of clip  39  is the same or slightly less than the diameter of the guide rod  15 . When the clip  39  is pressed onto guide rod  15  until the central axis of hole  22  is lined up with the central axis of guide rod  15 , the inside edges of clip  39  penetrate or grip the surface of guide rod  15  so the clip is held firmly in place.  
         [0029]    Referring to FIG. 8. Clip  39  is pressed onto guide rod  15  as previously described at a desired height. The buoyancy of flush basket  1  causes the upper edge of the side walls of flush basket  1  to push upwards on lever  25  far enough to turn off fill valve  21  as previously described. Fill tube  31  extends from the bowl fill outlet  27  and down drain  7  and the flexible tubing  17  so when the fill valve  21  is turned on, water will enter the toilet bowl  4 . Guide hole  5  is shown engaging the guide rod  15 , guiding the flush basket  1  on an up and down path. Rubber straps  35  is one of many methods that may be used to fasten one end of the flexible tubing  17  to the upper side walls of flush drain  11  and to fasten the other end of the flexible tubing  17  to the lower side walls of drain  7  as shown. Other methods may include using an adhesive or a strap or having one or more of these pieces molded as a single unit or using different welding or bonding methods or procedures or by using gaskets or seals.  
         [0030]    One end of flush lever  65  is bent inwards as shown and is directly above the upper edge of flush basket  1  as shown. When handle  57  is rotated in the direction indicated by arrow  75  flush lever  65  rotates in the opposite direction as previously described, pushing downwards on the upper edge of flush basket  1  and dunking the upper edge of flush basket  1  beneath the water surface  37  so that the flush basket begins to take in water. The drain holes  9  more clearly shown in FIG. 2 are sized so that the water entering the flush basket  1  when it is dunked, enters faster than water can drain through drain holes  9  so that the flush basket  1  eventually fills with water and sinks. Water can then enter drain  7  and flexible tubing  17  and flush drain  11 , flushing the toilet. Lever  25  falls downward turning on fill valve  21  when the flush basket  1  sinks.  
         [0031]    Referring to FIG. 9. The flexible tubing  17  has collapsed as far as it can and the flush basket  1  is resting on top of the flexible tubing  17 . The water has drained until the surface of the water  37  has reached the upper edge of the side walls of the flush basket  1  as shown. The remaining water in the flush basket  1  has drained out through drain holes  9 . Lever  25  is still in a downward position so that water is still filling the tank  2  and bowl  4  as previously described. When the water within flush basket  1  is sufficiently drained, the flush basket  1  will rise with the water surface  37  until the upper edge of flush basket  1  pushes lever  25  upwards far enough to turn off fill valve  21 , ending the flush cycle.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 10 shows a fill valve  21 . Its bottom threaded portion extends through a hole in the bottom of the toilet tank and is first fastened to the tank with a nut and then connected to a water supply. When the lever  25  is lifted upwards enough as shown, the fill valve  21  is shut off. When the lever is slightly lowered, the fill valve  21  is turned on and water flows into the tank through tank fill holes  23  and into the toilet bowl through the bowl fill outlet  27  via a fill tube  31  (shown in FIGS. 5 and 6)as will be well understood to those familiar with this art. A float  29  is attached to the end of lever  25  as shown.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 11 shows flexible tubing  17 . The skin  18  of flexible tubing  17  is made of a water-resistant material that maintains the physical properties necessary to perform well in water and temperatures and with chemicals that are typically used in this environment. Within this skin  18  there may be a flexible support  19  that provides the flexible tubing  17  with the strength necessary to keep the skin  18  from caving in on itself and to perform well under these conditions. A plate  80  is attached to the flexible tubing  17  at one end near it&#39;s mouth and has a bend at its other end that has a channel  86  from near one end of the bend to near the other end of the bend as shown. An extension  82  extends inwards from the mouth of the flexible tubing  17  as shown and a guide hole  84  is positioned near the end of extension  82  as shown. The drain entrance  92  is at the mouth of the flexible tubing  17  as shown.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 12 shows flush handle  41  having an extension  55 . At one end of extension  55  there is a pin  88  extending outwards as shown. A removable cap  90  is place on the end of pin  88  as shown. A counter weight  94  is located on flush handle  41  near one end of extension  55  as shown.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 13 shows the flush drain  11 . The bottom threaded portion of the flush drain  11  extends through a hole (having a diameter slightly greater than the threaded portion of the flush drain  11 ) in the bottom of the toilet tank and is fastened to the tank with a nut. The guide rod  15  extends upwards from the flush drain  11 . A gasket (not shown) is positioned between the flange  13  and the base of the tank to form a watertight seal when the nut used to fasten the flush drain  11  to the tank is tightened.  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 14 and  6  show the assembled parts comprising the invention. The flush handle  41  is inserted into a hole in the tank designed for that purpose and fastened with a nut from the inside of the tank. The extension  55  of flush handle  41  extends towards plate  80  with the pin  88  inserted into channel  86  and the cap  90  inserted onto pin  88  to fasten pin  88  into channel  86 . The flexible tubing  17  is fastened to the neck of flush drain  11  at one end and has the drain entrance  92  at its other end as shown.  
         [0037]    In FIG. 14 the toilet tank is full of water and the water surface  37  forces float  29  upwards holding lever  25  upwards keeping fill valve  21  in an off position as previously described. When the end  45  of handle  41  is pulled upwards extension  55  moves downwards forcing the drain entrance  92  downwards below the water surface  37  allowing water to exit the toilet tank and the toilet flushes as will be well understood to those familiar with this art. The guide rod  15  is engaged with the guide hole  84  guiding the path as the drain entrance moves up and down in a straight path. As the extension  55  moves in a downwards arc, the drain entrance move an a straight downwards path. The pin  88  slides through channel  86  so there is no binding between the pin  88  and channel  86  and the guide hole  84  and guide rod  15 .  
         [0038]    In FIG. 15, all the water that was previously above the drain entrance  92  has drained through drain entrance  92  and out of the toilet tank. The lever  25  has fallen and turned on fill valve  21  as previously described so that water is entering the toilet tank and toilet bowl as previously described. The end  45  of the handle  41  can now be pushed downwards so extension  55  moves upwards raising the drain entrance  92  above the water surface  37 . The toilet tank can now fill with water until the water surface  37  rises sufficiently to force the float  29  and lever  25  upwards far enough to turn off fill valve  21 , ending the cycle. The counter weight  94  holds the end  45  of handle  41  downwards so the drain entrance  92  is held above the water surface  37  in the position shown in FIG. 14 until the next flush.