Patent Application
20140345703
The present system relates to preventing and detecting leaky valves in toilets.
Occasionally, valves of toilets leak fluids such as flush valves. A leaky flush valve will cause water in the tank to leak out into the corresponding toilet bowl and ultimately down the drain. When a leak causes the water level in the tank to dip below its shut-off level, the water inlet valve typically opens in order to refill the tank. Between flushes, the tank is usually almost completely filled. As a result of the tank being ostensibly filled, a user may not be able to recognize that a valve such as the flush valve is leaking A leaky flush valve that goes unrepaired will waste water which is of particular concern in an age when natural resources such as water have become increasingly scarce and expensive.
Previous approaches to resolving leaky toilet valves have included the following. Some systems have been designed so that the inlet valve of the toilet assembly is prevented from opening and thus introducing water until a person affirmatively flushes the toilet. As such, any valve that is leaking will empty the tank so that future flushes are only possible after the user fills the tank. This is advantageous since water is conserved and users are put on notice that there is a leak due to the empty tank.
Aside from conservation of water, other considerations for solutions to leaky toilet valves include ensuring that any solution remains inexpensive and easy to implement on many different systems such as the approach taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,965,891 (hereinafter “'891 Patent”). However, the '891 Patent requires that the inlet valve post of the system be modified which is not easily achievable by one skilled in the art such as a plumber or handyman. Moreover, this approach is relatively difficult to use in practice since it requires mounting a bracket to the valve float. Perhaps most importantly, this system fails to operate when the position of the valve float changes even slightly.
Other approaches have including positioning floats that slide along vertical posts of the toilet as is the case in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,100,928 and 4,703,653. Each of these approaches, however, fails to describe a fill valve leak prevention device of relatively simple construction which is imperative in the field of toilets.
Accordingly, there exists a need to provide a fill valve leak prevention device that addresses these and other needs in the art.
The following simplified summary is provided in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the claimed subject matter. This summary is not an extensive overview, and is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope of the claimed subject matter. Its purpose is to present some concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
A leak prevention device for a fill valve in a toilet comprises a toilet fill valve having an arm extending therefrom. A locking lever is pivotally mounted to the arm, wherein a first side of the locking lever is lighter than a second side of the locking lever such that the first side of the locking lever is biased, for example horizontally, upwardly biased, or some combination thereof, against the fill valve. A pull connector extends from the second side of the locking lever.
In some embodiments, a locking blade is provided so that it extends from the end of the first side of the locking lever. The pull connection that extends from the second side of the locking lever may be a chain configured to be connected to a flush lever.
In other embodiments, a leak prevention device may comprise a toilet fill valve having an arm extending therefrom. A positionable locking lever is connected to the arm that extends from the fill valve, wherein the locking lever is configured to bias toward the fill valve. A pull connector extends from the locking lever.
In other embodiments, a leak prevention device comprises a fill valve that is operatively connected to and disposed above a float. An arm connects to the fill valve, wherein the arm comprises a pivot. The arm may rotably connect to the fill valve but may also slidably connect thereto. A lever is connected to the pivot of the arm and configured so that it is biased towards the fill valve. Biasing the lever until it contacts the fill valve prevents the float disposed therebelow from moving and thus prevents the fill valve from allowing water to enter the tank. A flush actuator operatively connected to the arm may cause the lever to pivot away from the fill valve when a user desires to unlock the float and flush the toilet. The lever may comprise a center of gravity that is positioned further from the fill valve than the pivot. Additionally, the lever may further comprise a first side and a second side that are joined at the pivot, wherein an angle is provided therebetween that is defined by the first side, the second side, and the pivot. In some embodiments, the angle between the first and second side is adjustable.
The first side of the lever may weigh less than the second side, wherein the distribution of weight between the first and second sides of the lever causes the lever to bias towards the fill valve. In this embodiment, the flush actuator is connected to a lower end of the second side of the lever. The flush actuator may further comprise a chain in communication with a conventional flush lever. Optionally, the second side of the lever may comprise a material density greater than a material density of the first side. The second side may also comprise a material thickness greater than a material thickness of the first side. The second side may also comprise a material width greater than a material width of the first side.
A method of preventing a fill valve in a toilet from leaking is also provided comprising the following steps:, comprising: rotably connecting a fill valve arm to the fill valve, wherein the fill valve is positioned above a float; pivotally connecting a lever to a pivot of the fill valve arm, wherein the lever is biased towards the fill valve; and locking the fill valve by permitting a lower end of the lever to bias toward the fill valve when the lever is in a first position. The method may further comprise unlocking the fill valve by actuating a flush actuator and thereby biasing the lever away from the fill valve toward a second position causing water to ingress into a tank of the toilet. In embodiments where the lever further comprises a locking member coupled to the lower end of the lever extended towards the fill valve, the locking member may be constructed from metal and comprises binding teeth configured to dig into a perimetral surface of the fill valve. The perimetral surface of the fill valve may be constructed from a plastic or elastomeric material configured to induce friction and receive contact from the lever or locking member.
To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the claimed subject matter may be employed and the claimed subject matter is intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features may become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings.
The fill valve leak prevention device and method of use described herein are configured to conserve vital resources such as water, manufacturing resources, and time associated with repairs and maintenance of fill valves that otherwise require attention. Accordingly, the device and systems described herein depict a fill valve leak prevention device moving between a first position (a locked state) and a second position (an unlocked state).
In previous approaches where device 10 was not provided and water in tank 14 dropped due to a leak, a fill valve 15 mechanically attached to fill valve arm 47 and operatively coupled to fill valve post 17 is caused to slide or move downwards along post 17 towards float 26 below the shut-off level of the tank 14. Fill valve 15 is then caused to open in order to refill the tank 14. This in turn wastes water since the tank is continuously filled and inconveniences the user when a flush is otherwise desired but the tank 14 is empty. Leak prevention device 10 is designed and assembled to resolve these problems.
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As a result, lever 45 will tend to pivot towards surface 52 such that member 50 extending from lever 45 (or the lower end of lever 45 if no member 50 is provided) will be positioned to sit against the side of the fill valve as shown. Locking lever 45 may comprise corresponding locking member 50 which may be a blade or extruded member that extends from the forward end of lever 45 until contacting locking surface 52 of post 17. Locking member 50 engages with post 17 at locking surface 52, wherein locking surface 52 is configured to receive lever 45 and/or any corresponding member 50 so that device 10 remains intact and protected from contact resulting from lever 45 or member 50. When lever 45 or member 50 is seated against surface 52, advantageously lever 45 is maintained in its uppermost, first position as previously described. In so doing, fill valve arm 47 is prevented from falling which prevents the fill valve 15 from moving thereby preventing ingress of water into tank 14.
Distribution of weight as between sides 29 and 30 may be optionally achieved by removably attaching ballast to one or more sides 29 and 30 as desired. In all embodiments, sides 29 and 30 are arranged so that lever 45 naturally biases towards post 17 to the first. When lever 45 biases towards post 17, lever 45's may move in a strictly lateral, horizontal manner between first and second positions. Lever 45's biasing movement may optionally comprise a combination of lateral and vertical translation between positions or lever 45 may naturally rotate from second position to first position.
In preferred embodiments, member 50 is a locking blade constructed from stainless steel or other metal with binding teeth configured to etch or dig into surface 52 which creates friction induced grip between member 50 and surface 52 which may be plastic. Although metal may be preferred, any material more rigid than surface 52 can be used. Member 52 may further comprise a relatively sharp edge configured to etch into surface 52 to induce friction that prevents float 26 from moving.
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The present device 10 differs significantly from the approach taught by U.S. Pat. 5,769,111 (hereinafter “'111 Pat.”). The '111 Pat. teaches a leak prevention device but is of relatively complex construction and its installation consists of a buoyant cup that must be mounted underneath a valve float. The device functions by preventing the float from moving down between flushes by the buoyant cup. A mount assembly attaches to the underside of the float below the water such that the cup is normally immersed in water. When the water drops, the weight of the float causes the cup to pivot towards the post of the float until it locks the float in place. To unlock the cup of the '111 Patent, a chain is moved thereby disengaging the cup from contacting the float so that refilling may take place. This approach requires intricately machined parts, a mount to the float, a buoyant cup, and a pivot arrangement that relies upon the weight of the float for leak prevention functionality.
By contrast, device 10 locks float 26 in place through a relatively simple assembly that incorporates locking lever 45 with lever arm 47 already provided in conventional flush systems. Lever arm 47 is held upwards by the tendency of locking lever 45 to pivot towards post 17. This advantageously provides a simpler solution to the foregoing problems since it does not rely upon levels of water floating a buoyant cup or the weight of a float.
Thus, a fill valve leak prevention device as taught and described herein is able to be installed on any variety of toilets. What has been described above includes examples of one or more embodiments. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the aforementioned embodiments, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of various embodiments are possible. Accordingly, the described embodiments are intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.
The present disclosure claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application 61/825,907, entitled, FILL VALVE LEAK PREVENTION DEVICE, filed May 21, 2013, the full disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61825907 | May 2013 | US |
