Patent Publication Number: US-2020277764-A1

Title: Extender for use in bathroom fixture installations

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is based on, and claims the benefit of, U.S. provisional patent application 62/812,349 filed Mar. 1, 2019, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
     Not Applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to the installation of bathroom fixtures such as toilets, bidets, etc.; and, more particularly, to an extender for use in the installation of such fixtures. 
     In a typical bathroom installation, a water supply pipe projects through a bathroom wall and then turns upwardly. Connection of this end of the pipe to a bathroom fixture then involves connecting one end of a hose or pipe to the exposed end of the water supply pipe. The other, outlet end of the hose or pipe then delivers water, through an in-line water shut-off valve to the bowl of the toilet or bidet, or inlet of the sink. 
     While bathroom fixture installations are somewhat standard insofar as how high above a bathroom floor the water pipe outlet extends through the bathroom wall, and the distance between this point and the location of the fixture to which the outlet is connected, through the shut-off valve, by the hose or pipe, these distances may vary. Accordingly, to simplify installations of bathroom fixtures, when the height between the water pipe outlet and tank bowl inlet, for example, is some distance apart, it would be beneficial to have an inexpensive, easy to use and install extension or extender to readily facilitate such installations. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to an extender for use in simplifying the installation of a toilet, for example, when the inlet to the tank bowl is significantly above a water pipe outlet such that the distance cannot be readily bridged using conventional, standard pipes or hoses. 
     The extender is preferably a hollow metal cylinder the inner diameter of which corresponds to the outer diameter of the exposed outer end of the water supply pipe for an inlet end of the extender to readily fit on and over the outer end of the pipe. 
     The length of the extender is sufficient to accommodate a wide range of distances between the outer end of the pipe and the water inlet to the toilet tank. 
     The extender preferably has a water shut-off valve formed at its upper outlet end for a user to readily shut-off water flow to the toilet if that becomes necessary. 
     The extender may also have fittings at each end to readily connect the extender to the outer end of the water pipe and the tank bowl inlet or fill-valve. 
     Other objects and fixtures will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  illustrates the installation of a toilet in a bathroom, and  FIG. 1B  is an enlarged view of a portion of the installation showing use of an extender of the present invention in effecting the installation: 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an extender of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 3 and 4  are respective elevation views of the extender viewed from different directions; 
         FIG. 5  is an elevation view of another embodiment of the extender; and, 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view of the extender of  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
    
     Corresponding reference characters represent corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The following detailed description illustrates the invention by way of example and not by way of limitation. This description clearly enables one skilled in the art to make and use the invention, best mode of carrying out the invention. Additionally, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it will be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     Referring to the drawings, an extender E is shown in the drawings to include a hollow cylindrical sleeve  10  which can slide up and down over the outlet end of the water supply pipe for properly locating the extender with the water supply pipe and bathroom fixture. A fitting  12  on the lower end of sleeve  10  comprises a threaded nut threadably received on the exposed outlet end of a water supply pipe WSP shown in  FIG. 1B  which projects outwardly from a bathroom wall BW. At the opposite end of sleeve  10  is an outlet indicated generally  14  which extends transversely to the sleeve. One end of outlet  14  is capped, and a fitting  16  on the opposite end of the outlet comprises a threaded nut by which extender E is attached to an inlet of a water conduit C of a tank for flowing water into a bowl TB of the toilet. 
     A water shut-off valve indicated generally  18  is installed at the upper end of extender E. As shown in  FIG. 6 , a shoulder  20  is formed below an outlet opening  22  formed in sleeve  10  so to reduce the inner diameter of the sleeve. A rotatable valve housing  24  fits into the reduced diameter portion of the sleeve. Housing  24  includes a stem  26  formed at its upper end and which protrudes through a central opening  28  formed in a cap  30  integrally formed with sleeve  10  at this end of the extender. Stem  26  has a central bore  32  extending inwardly into the stem from its outer end. A valve handle  34  is attached to stem  26  by inserting a pin  36  into bore  32  through an opening  38  in the handle. 
     Housing  24  has an opening  40  formed in a sidewall of the housing. When handle  34  is rotated, opening  40  is brought into registry with outlet opening  22  formed in sleeve  10  so to allow water flowing through extender E to flow into the toilet bowl. When the handle is turned so opening  40  is rotated from opening  22 , water flow to the tank bowl is shut-off. This requires about a ¼ turn of the handle. Finally, housing  24  has at least one annular groove  42  extending completely about the housing. Washers (not shown) are fitted into these grooves to prevent leakage. Two such grooves  42  are shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     Because of the length of extender E, the extender can be used to enable a toilet, for example, to be readily attached to water supply pipe WSP supplying water to the fixture. In doing so, the lower end of the extender is fitted over the water pipe until the upper, outlet end of the extender is at the same level as the water inlet conduit for the toilet. Connector  12  is then connected to the outlet end of water supply pipe WSP and connector  16  to the inlet of the tank bowl TB water inlet. Once these connections are complete, handle  34  of shut-off valve  18  Is turned until water flows into the tank bowl from extender E. 
     The extender and its components are of a lightweight metal construction so to make the extender easy to carry and install. 
     It will be understood by those skilled in the art that extender E effectively increases the length of water supply pipe WSP so that the length of the pipe does not have to be excessive in order to effect connection of the pipe to the bathroom fixture thereby saving considerable time and cost for an installation. 
     In view of the foregoing, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention and other advantageous results have been achieved.