Patent Abstract:
The universal flush valve system comprises an universal system connector accommodating seating thereon of both a flapper style flush valve assembly and a canister style flush valve assembly, as required; a plurality of toilet tank specific connector extensions, each of which are threadedly engageable to a bottom portion of the universal system connector and are used to suitably engage the universal system connector to a water flow port in a toilet tank by extending through the port and receiving a suitable cooperating connection element thereover; a sealing device for sealing the required flush valve assembly against the universal system connector; and a locking mechanism for locking the required flush valve assembly onto a top portion of the universal system connector, seating over the sealing device to produce a water tight engagement therebetween.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The Toilet as a Part of a Central Sewage System 
     A toilet is part of a sewage system, it and the pipes it is connected to are a matched set which deliver sewage from inside a structure to a central municipal sewer or private septic system. For new construction and major remodeling, plumbing codes and sound installation practices in the United States and most countries cover issues regarding the size, material and pitch angles of the pipes that connect to the toilet so as to assure that the contents of what is flushed will run down hill all the way through the pipes out to this central municipal or private sewage system, otherwise pipes will clog up. The length and complexity of the pipes connecting the toilet to the sewage or septic systems vary greatly based on the size and location of buildings and municipalities. The proper installation of these pipes must be approved before walls and floors are installed because afterwards, from a practical standpoint, it is too late to change them. 
     Historically, building codes were based on the regulations and manufacturing practices that were used to produced the toilets. These older toilets were designed to operate using approximately 4 gallons per flush (GPF). In turn, this 4 gallon standard was the basis of regulations specifying the piping that connected the toilet to the central sewage system in order to make sure that what the toilet flushed would ultimately reach its destination in the central sewer system. 
     Recently, in the last 10 years or so, for ecological and political reasons a series of new national codes have been enacted which, overriding local ones, now require that new toilets must flush using less and less water. Older toilets used 4.5 gallons per flush (GPF), then 3.5 GPF, then 1.6 GPF and now 1.28 GPF. Current codes and practices also have been upgraded covering the sewage piping system so that both the toilet and the piping system work properly together, i.e., that the toilet properly flushes and that its contents do not clog pipes on the way to the central sewage system. 
     New toilets are usually installed during new construction or during the remodeling of a bathroom. As these new lower GPF toilets are installed for new construction, usually they work acceptably because the new piping systems they are attached to are designed to work with them. But often, when they are installed during remodeling they are attached to an older piping system designed for a 4 GPF flush and consequently then they often do not operate perfectly because of the small amount of water they use for the flush. When this occurs the toilet can flush well, but its contents clog in the pipes before they reach the central sewage system, often resulting in the need to clean out the pipes, which usually ends up being a messy, expensive, time consuming job. 
     Toilet Types—How they Work—What a Flush Valve does 
     Toilets are usually made from porcelain china, with a toilet bowl which mounts to the floor or hangs from the wall and a water delivery system which forces water into the bowl causing it to “flush”. Toilets incorporate one of two types of water delivery systems, one, a flushometer valve, which is mounted on top of the bowl, which uses water pressure and timing mechanisms to deliver the water forcing the bowl to flush and two, a water storage tank which is usually mounted on top of the bowl, which delivers the water forcing the toilet bowl flush. There are two types of toilets using tanks, two piece models, where the tank and the bowl are made separately and assembled at the job site, and one piece models where the bowl and the tank are made as one integral piece at the factory. 
     On tank fed toilets the tank and the bowl connect and where they connect there is a round hole which allows the water from the tank to flow into the bowl which forces the bowl to flush. Until recently this hole has been standardized at approximately two inches in diameter. The flow of water through the hole is controlled by a seal mechanism called a flush valve. To flush a toilet you move a handle which opens the flush valve and allows the water from the tank to rush down into the bowl where its force and volume causes the toilet to flush. 
     A flush valve should not waste water but it must provide sufficient water to force the bowl to flush and enough to carry its contents all the way out into the sewer system—if not it creates clogged sewer lines. So, if a toilet is causing sewer line clogging, in addition to cleaning out the clog in the line, the flush valve should be changed to a model that functions properly within that plumbing system. If the flush valve fails to seal after a flush, its flush seal should be replaced and if that does not work, then the entire flush valve needs to be changed. 
     A flush valve is comprised of three basic parts: 1. a valve body which mounts between the tank and the bowl which has a waterway hole with a seal surface around its circumference; 2. a replaceable seal (flapper tank ball, round tank ball or canister with seal ring) that opens and closes against this hole&#39;s seal surface; 3. a means of mounting and sealing the valve body with seal in between the tank and bowl, so that before flushing the water remains stored in the tank. 
     To repair a leaky flush valve you change its replaceable seal, a simple non-labor intensive job, but if that does not fix the leak, usually the entire flush valve is changed, a heretofore labor intensive job. To replace an entire flush valve on two piece toilets you turn off the water supply, empty, then unbolt and separate the toilet tank from its bowl, then remove the old flush valve, and install the new one in reverse order. To change a flush valve in a one piece toilet, you must turn off the water supply, empty the tank, loosen and remove the existing flush valve and install the new one in reverse order. Historically, since flush valves were generally interchangeable you could find a replacement at most any store, buy one, install it and it would work. 
     Today, there are so many different non-interchangeable, non-adjustable flush valves that you can no longer just buy a replacement and expect it to work. This fact is the reason this new flush valve system was developed. 
     Problems Addressed by this New Flush Valve 
     For the Original Equipment Toilet Manufacturers (OEMs) 
     Toilet model selection has increased dramatically due to market demands. Often retailers want an exclusive design to protect them on advertised price guarantees and homeowners demand specific designer looks as home values increase, so the OEM can no longer offer just a few designs, they now offer new designs continually, and national codes now require that new toilets use much less water when flushing so as to save water and reduce sewage costs. 
     For economic and engineering reasons, OEM&#39;s usually keep bowl design changes to a minimum and make changes only on the tank half of the toilet. Although tank changes are less costly to make than bowl changes the costs are still significant, the largest expense often being expenses for the development of new plastic injection molds needed to make a new flush valve which will work in the new tank and allow the toilet to meet the new lower GPF government standards. 
     So, the OEMs have ongoing demands for less expensive ways to make more efficient flush valves needed to meet the new GPF requirements for all of their new style tanks. 
     For the Aftermarket Parts Distributor Specialists 
     Stores that sell toilets usually do not carry all of the parts necessary to fix all of the models of toilets that they sell. That function is filled by parts distributor specialists who often inventory over 200,000 items. 
     These specialists know that carrying all the exact factory replacements usually requires too much inventory to be profitable, and that selling only new identical OEM parts will not correct all problems, especially if more water is needed in a flush to deliver the bowl contents into the sewer line. 
     Ultimately, these specialists must sort out the confusion created by the design changes brought about by market demands and government regulations. In order to be successful they must keep track of what fits what and what can be interchanged so as to optimize the value of their product line. They are expected and want to have an inventory that will fix most any leaky toilet or clogged sewer line situation, the same day it is needed. To accomplish this they must have the correct inventory and be able to find what they need within their inventory. 
     So, aftermarket parts distributors need replacement flush valves that fit multiple model toilets, that deal with clogged sewer line issues, that are affordable to stock and that are easy to identify and find within their inventory. 
     For the Commercial Maintenance Market 
     The maintenance departments of apartment complexes, hotels/motels and institutions are routinely faced with changing toilet flush valves and fixing clogged sewer lines. They look at it as an ongoing expense, which they always want to reduce. The expense of changing a flush valve is primarily the high cost of the labor for changing it, as described above. 
     So, the maintenance markets need a flush valve that can be changed with less labor. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     What this Flush Valve System Accomplishes 
     
         
         
           
             1. Allows an OEM to change his tank design more readily by not forcing him to make expensive flush valve molds for each new tank design. With this new invention method he need only tool up for a comparatively inexpensive adapter/coupler mold and use one of the standard, available flush valve tops which can be produced to meet the new exact lower GPF codes. 
             2. Allows an OEM to market his toilets claiming that they are better suited for the needs of the apartment building trades as they will be easier and cheaper to maintain because any future need to change a flush valve will only take the same low labor cost as changing a simple flapper tank ball, because the tank will not have to be removed on two piece toilets and the attachment devices and seal between the tank and bowl on one piece toilets will not have to be removed and replaced. 
             3. Allows an OEM to reduce his inventory for aftermarket repair needs. 
             4. Allows a replacement parts specialist to carry a comparatively few number of parts to cover most all repair applications to both old and new style toilets. 
             5. Allows a replacement parts specialist to reduce stock keeping units, his overall inventory costs and expand his offering by carrying only a couple of the basic flush valve styles (the flapper and canister types shown in the drawings), the expensive part, and a series of base couplers/adapters (the inexpensive parts) which enable him to cover most if not all toilet models from all toilet manufacturers. 
             6. Allows a replacement parts specialist to find his inventory due the interchangeability of this flush valves system because all adapter coupler bases interchange with all of the flush valve bodies in the system. 
             7. Allows a replacement parts specialist to offer raised flush valves so as to match many OEM models which incorporate this design, without having to carry the specific flush valves in inventory. The distributor merely has to carry one SKU, a riser which mounts quickly and easily on any of the base adapter/couplers. This riser allows all models of the mating flush valve tops be extended up to a high rise mount thereby meeting the flush demands of many newer toilet models. 
             8. Allows the installers of this flush valve to rotate the position of the flush valve after installation to avoid interference with the ballcock and flush handle in the new smaller tank configurations. 
             9. Allows the installers of this flush valve to adjust the overflow tube height so as to increase the flush valve water flow to make sure the contents of the toilet flush reach the sewer lines so as to alleviate clogged sewer line situations. 
             10. Allows the installers of this flush valve to carry to the job site a series of inexpensive adapters and a couple of flush valves to cover most all repair situations. 
             11. Allow owners of older toilets with a 2″ flush valve to convert it to the new larger flush vale size and height to install this new jumbo flush valve by installing it with its “2×4” adapter thereby simulating the benefits of the newer toilets with the larger holed flush valve which often times reduces GPF of older  2 ″ toilet models. 
             12. Allows for its manufacturer to merely make inexpensive adapters to fit various toilets, and the adapters will work/fit a small number of flush valves that can be assembled in a variety of combinations which provides market coverage to the OEMs—who need to meet exact government codes and market coverage to the tradesmen who must make a new toilet work on an old piping system. 
           
         
       
    
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of the various structures of the universal flush valve system of the present invention, showing all potential interconnections therebetween. 
         FIG. 2A  is a cross sectional view through an exemplary embodiment of the system of  FIG. 1  shown for use in a tank of a one piece toilet. 
         FIG. 2B  is a cross sectional view through another exemplary embodiment of the system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view through an exemplary embodiment of the system of  FIG. 1  shown for use in a tank of a two piece toilet. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As best illustrated in  FIG. 1 , an exploded view of exemplary structures used to create the flush valve system of the present invention, generally identified by the reference numeral  10 , it will be seen that the operative structure thereof is a connector  12  which is suited to engage thereupon, in watertight manner, either a flapper type flush valve assembly  14  or a cylinder type flush valve assembly  16 . 
     Connectable to an underside area  17  of the connector  12  are a particular one of a plurality of connector extensions  18 , as a group, some of which, labeled  18 A, as a group, suited for use with one of various embodiments of a two piece toilet (not shown) and others of which, labeled  18 B, as a group, are suited for use with one of various embodiments of a one piece toilet (not shown). 
     The purpose of the connector extensions  18 , as a whole, is to engage a first or top end  19  thereof to an interior neck  22  within the underside area  17  of the connector  12 . Inasmuch as the connector  12  has dimensions that do not vary, the first end  19  of each connector extension  18 , within the group as a whole, is substantially identical. Engagement between the top end  19  of a desired extension  18  to the interior neck  22  of the underside area  17  of the connector  12  is created by any suitable form of permanent attachment, such as by gluing or sonic welding, as examples. 
     An opposite end area  30  of each exemplary connector extension  18 , illustrated, varies in diameter to accommodate an inner diameter of a water flow opening  32  of a corresponding toilet tank  31  ( FIGS. 2 and 3 ). The diameters of such water flow openings  32 , in various embodiments, can range anywhere from approximately 2 inches in diameter to over 3 inches in diameter, depending on the particular model of toilet being dealt with. It will be understood that each area of joining throughout the system  10  is preferably filled with an appropriately configured seal such as an O-ring even though each one may not be separately identified herein. Further, between first or top end  19  and opposite end area  30  of each connector extension  18  is found a sealing flange  36 , which seals against a tank wall defining the water flow opening  32  therein. In most embodiments such wall is a bottom wall of the tank, however there are also embodiments that may use a vertical wall for engagement, so definitions of the wall utilized herein should not be construed as limiting. 
     Further, it will be seen that the opposite end area  30  of each extension  18 A, for use in the tank  31  of a two piece toilet, is provided with a threaded outer surface  33 , to which a suitable connector element  34 , such as a nut  34 , is threadedly engaged after the opposite end area  30  is passed through the water flow opening  32  from within the interior of the tank  31 , to secure flange  36  over the opening  32 . To assure water tight engagement of the connector against the surrounding wall  40  of the opening  32 , a seal, such as an O-ring  42  is engaged about the connector extension  18 , within the tank  31 , and seals between the wall  40  and the flange  36  when the system  10  is suitably secured in place. 
     Turning to the opposite end area  30  of each extension  18 B, for use in the tank  31  of a one piece toilet, it will be seen that the area  30  is not threaded, but has integral locking lugs  50  provided thereon, or receptacles for a different suitable connector element  34 , such as a screw on locking nut  34 , is received to lock the connector  12  into position against the tank wall  40 , again as described above. 
     The provision of such a plurality of various connector extensions  18 , in combination with the connector  12  itself, creates a minimal number of structures to accommodate replacement of virtually any flush valve system  10 , rather than the numerous structures previously necessary, as described above, to accommodate such replacement, making the flush valve system  10  essentially universal. 
     Further, when dealing with modern day, low flush toilets, it will be understood that the connector  12  has a central opening  58  therein of a fairly large diameter, of approximately 3-4 inches, and typically drains into a smaller water flow opening  32 , creating a venturi effect therethrough which improves the flushing capability of such low flush toilet, a known problem in the art. 
     Turning now to the cylinder type flush valve assembly  16 , it is adapted to seat upon an upper surface  60  of the connector  12  and is engageable thereto by means of a keylock engagement, the connector  12  having a keyhole element  64  centered within the opening  58 , and a bottom surface  68  of the cylinder or cartridge type flush valve  16  has a key element  70  thereon which passes through an opening  72  in the keyhole element  64  and the flush valve  16  is then twisted, locking the structures together. For assured water tight fit, again, an O-ring  74  and seal  76  are seated between the flush valve  16  and the connector  12  prior to engaging the structures together. It will be seen that a nub  77  is provided on the outer cylindrical surface of the connector  12  and a cooperating slot  79  is provided on the seal  76 , with the nub  77  sliding up into the slot  79 , and being locked into the slot  79 , which slot  79  is configured in the preferred embodiment as an upside down L, by twisting of the seal  76  relative to the connector  12 . Also, the upper edge  81  of connector  12  is configured to serve as a sealing surface  81  for the cartridge type flush valve  16  and, if the sealing surface  81  should become damaged, seating of the seal  76  thereover provides an easy fix for any such damage. 
     It will be understood that the cylinder type flush valve  16  is provided as a complete unit  16 , and incorporates a telescopic overflow tube  78 , so that the amount of water utilized per flush can be varied as necessary. Further, to add for a greater amount of water utilized per flush, it is proposed herein to provide an optional riser  80  which can be engaged, in like manner, between the flush valve  16  and the connector  12 , the riser  80  also incorporating a keyhole element  64  at a first end thereof and a key element  70  at an opposite end thereof, to create engageability between the structures in water tight manner, also preferably with an O-ring  82  seated therebetween. Such riser  80  may be used to accommodate toilet tanks  31  of taller dimension, and adds to the amount of water available per flush, increasing flushing capability. 
     Turning now to the flapper type flush valve assembly  14 , it will be seen to comprise a base  90  which is engageable in like manner to the connector  12  as the cylinder flush valve  14 . The base  90  incorporates a flapper seat  92  over which a flapper  94  seats, in known fashion. Also provided is an overflow tube  96  which is substantially rectangular in cross section and is also telescopic. A bottom portion  97  of the overflow tube has an extendible portion  98  therewithin, which, when extended, again adds to the amount of water available per flush. The two pieces of the overflow tube  96  are engaged together by a releasable clamp  100  with a seal member  102  being positioned therewithin to again assure a water tight engagement therebetween. It will be understood that the flapper  94  is maintained engaged to the bottom portion  97  of the overflow tube  96 , in known manner. 
     The flapper type flush valve assembly  14  is engaged to the connector  12  in a manner similar to that in which the cylinder type flush valve  16  is engaged thereto, except that here, a snap on key ring  104  is provided for engaging the base  90  to the connector  12 . The ring  104  in the preferred embodiment snaps into a corresponding groove in the base  90 . It has not, in a preferred embodiment, been found advantageous to use the optional riser  80  with the canister type flush valve  16 , but this should not be construed as limiting 
     With the significantly few structures described herein, when joined as necessitated by the particular toilet with which the universal flush valve system  10  is to be used, substantially all existing toilet embodiments can be accommodated, making the system  10  not only time but material saving as well. Then structures may be engaged as necessary at the point of sale, or may be purchased as a kit, or separately and engaged at the point of use. There is no limitation on how the structures may be presented for consumption. 
     Further, the flush valve assemblies  14  and  16  may be removed and replaced, as necessary, without taking the entire system  10  apart. 
     Still further, the flush valve assemblies  14  and  16  are now provided with rotatability, if required, so as not to interfere with, for example, flush handle action. 
     As described above, the universal flush valve system  10  of the present invention provides a number of advantages, some of which have been described above and others of which are inherent in the invention. Also, modifications may be proposed to the system  10  without departing from the teachings herein. Accordingly the scope of the invention is only to be limited as necessitated by the accompanying claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4