The present application relates generally to a flush actuator for a plumbing fixture. In particular, this application relates to a single-flush, cable-driven flush actuator assembly.
Plumbing fixtures, such as toilets, urinals, or bidets, can include an actuator assembly for performing a flush function. The flush function is typically controlled by an actuator handle coupled to the plumbing fixture, which can in turn be coupled to an arm attached to a rod or chain. The rod or chain is typically coupled to a flush valve (e.g., a flapper valve, a canister valve, etc.) and is configured to lift the flush valve when a user presses the actuator handle to perform a flushing cycle. These conventional types of flush actuators can be difficult to install within, for example, a toilet tank, and can have a poor tactile feel for a user performing a flush function. Furthermore, these types of actuators may be prone to premature wear and breakage due to, for example, exposure to water within the tank.
In addition, the actuator handle itself is typically connected to the plumbing fixture using fasteners, such as set screws or other hardware, which can require significant time and effort to install or remove from the plumbing fixture, and can require the use of tools or other hardware for installation or removal. This is limiting in that an end user or an installer is unable to quickly and easily install/remove the actuator handle to or from the plumbing fixture, such as when the actuator requires repair or when a user wishes to change the aesthetics of the plumbing fixture by replacing the actuator handle.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide a flush actuator for a plumbing fixture that addresses one or more of the above noted limitations associated with conventional flush actuator assemblies. These and other advantageous features will become apparent to those reviewing the present disclosure.
One embodiment relates to a flush actuator assembly for a plumbing fixture. The flush actuator assembly includes a housing, a handle, an arm, and a lever. The housing is configured to be removably coupled to the plumbing fixture. The handle is pivotally and removably coupled to the housing. The handle includes a stem configured to extend through the plumbing fixture and into the housing. The arm is removably coupled to the stem within the housing and is configured to pivot with the handle. The lever is at least partially disposed in the housing and is configured to be selectively disengaged from the stem to removably couple the handle from the housing.
Another embodiment relates to a flush actuator assembly. The flush actuator assembly includes a housing, a handle, an arm, a lever, and a biasing member. The handle includes a stem extending therefrom and is configured to be pivotally and removably coupled to the housing. The arm is disposed in the housing and is configured to receive at least a portion of the stem and to pivot with the handle. The lever is at least partially disposed in the housing and is configured to be selectively disengaged from the stem to removably couple the handle to the housing. The biasing member is positioned between a portion of the lever and the housing, and is configured to bias the lever toward the stem so as to maintain engagement between the lever and the stem.
Another embodiment relates to a flush actuator assembly for a plumbing fixture. The flush actuator assembly includes a housing, a handle, an arm, and a lever assembly. The handle includes a stem and is configured to be removably coupled to the housing. The arm is disposed in the housing and is configured to receive at least a portion of the stem and to pivot with the handle. The lever assembly is at least partially disposed in the housing and is configured to be selectively disengaged from the stem to removably couple the handle to the housing. A portion of the lever assembly is accessible at an outer portion of the housing and is configured to be actuated to remove the handle from the housing.
Referring generally to the FIGURES, disclosed herein are flush actuator assemblies for a plumbing fixture that use a cable for connecting to a flush valve to perform a flush function, thereby eliminating the need for mechanical lever arms, rods, and/or chains to perform a flush function. In addition, the flush actuator assemblies include an actuator handle removably coupled to the plumbing fixture using a quick-release mechanism (e.g., a lever, a spring-loaded lever, etc.). The quick release mechanism can allow for simple and quick installation or removal of the actuator handle by a user/installer without the use of tools to facilitate replacement of the actuator handle, and cleaning or servicing of the plumbing fixture. In this way, the disclosed flush actuator assembly provides for improvements relating to durability and functionality of a plumbing fixture, while providing for an improved tactile feel for a user performing a flush function. Additionally, the disclosed flush actuator assembly provides for improvements relating to servicing, repair and customization of a plumbing fixture.
Referring to
Still referring to
Referring to
According to the exemplary embodiment shown in
Still referring to
For example, as shown in
According to the exemplary embodiment of
According to the exemplary embodiment shown in
Referring to
As shown in
As shown in
For example, when a user or an installer slides the handle 230 into the sleeve 220 and through the opening 216 of the front housing half 210a, the poke-a-yoke feature 234 will contact the front edge of the engagement surface 242a. By having a curved front edge on the engagement surface 242a, the poke-a-yoke feature 234 can push the engagement member 242 in an upward direction as the user or the installer slides the handle 230 into the housing 230 along an axial direction. This can allow the handle 230 to be fully inserted into the housing 230 until the engagement member 242 reaches the recessed portion 233, at which point the engagement member 242 will drop into the recessed portion 233 to securely couple the handle 230 within the housing 210. The engagement portion 242 can also include a pair of opposed tabs 243 (e.g., wings, flanges, etc.) extending outwardly away from the engagement portion 242. The opposed tabs 243 can engage or contact a pair of stops 212, respectively, located on the front housing half 210a and extending inward toward an interior of the housing 210. The opposed tabs 243 can help to regulate a position of the lever 240 within the housing 210 relative to the stem 232.
According to the exemplary embodiment of
In addition, the biasing member 245 can facilitate coupling of the handle 230 to the housing 210 without having to manually lift the lever 240. That is to say, a user or an installer can simply slide the handle 230 through the sleeve 220 and into the housing 210, such that the engagement member 242 automatically engages the recessed portion 233 of the stem 232. The engagement member 242 automatically drops into the recessed portion 233 by virtue of a biasing force of the biasing member 245 as the stem 232 slides into the housing 210. This is particularly advantageous if a user or an installer wishes to remove and/or replace the handle 230 to, for example, change the aesthetics of the plumbing fixture, perform maintenance, or replace other components of the actuator assembly 200 (e.g., arm 250, biasing member 245, etc.).
Referring to
Referring now to
According to an exemplary embodiment, the lever 240 can be made out of a rigid or a semi-rigid material or combinations of materials having sufficient material characteristics to allow for selective engagement with, and disengagement from, the handle 230 (e.g., nylon, ABS, etc.). According to an exemplary embodiment, the engagement surface 242a can include a lubricant (e.g., grease, etc.) to facilitate insertion and removal of the handle 230 from the assembly. According to various exemplary embodiments, the housing 210, the sleeve 220, the handle 230, the arm 250, the inner nut 260, and the outer nut 262, can be made out of any rigid or semi-rigid material or combinations of materials, such as plastic, metal, composite, or the like.
According to an exemplary embodiment, a flush actuator assembly for a plumbing fixture comprises a housing configured to be removably coupled to the plumbing fixture, a handle pivotally and removably coupled to the housing, the handle including a stem configured to extend through the plumbing fixture and into the housing, an arm removably coupled to the stem within the housing and configured to pivot with the handle, and a lever at least partially disposed in the housing and configured to be selectively disengaged from the stem to removably couple the handle to the housing.
In some exemplary embodiments, the lever is biased toward the stem, and the lever is configured to be selectively disengaged from the stem by applying an upward force to the lever.
In some exemplary embodiments, the lever is biased toward the stem by a biasing member disposed around a portion of the lever, and the lever is configured to automatically engage the stem to removably couple the handle to the housing by a biasing force of the biasing member.
In some exemplary embodiments, the arm includes a free end configured to receive a cable for controlling a flush valve of the plumbing fixture.
In some exemplary embodiments, the assembly further comprises a sleeve extending from the housing and configured to receive the stem of the handle therethrough, and the sleeve is configured to be inserted through an opening in the plumbing fixture.
In some exemplary embodiments, the first nut is configured to couple the housing to the plumbing fixture, and the sleeve includes an outer threaded portion, and wherein the first nut is configured to threadably engage the outer threaded portion of the sleeve.
In some exemplary embodiments, the assembly further comprises a second nut configured to threadably engage the outer threaded portion of the sleeve and to sandwich a portion of the plumbing fixture between the first nut and the second nut to removably couple the housing to the plumbing fixture.
A flush actuator assembly comprises a housing, a handle including a stem extending therefrom and configured to be pivotally and removably coupled to the housing, an arm disposed in the housing and configured to receive at least a portion of the stem and to pivot with the handle, a lever disposed in the housing and configured to be selectively disengaged from the stem to removably couple the handle to the housing, and a biasing member positioned between a portion of the lever and the housing, and configured to bias the lever toward the stem so as to maintain engagement between the lever and the stem.
In some exemplary embodiments, the lever is configured to be selectively disengaged from the stem by applying an upward force to the lever without the use of a tool.
In some exemplary embodiments, the lever is configured to automatically engage the stem to removably couple the handle to the housing by a biasing force of the biasing member.
In some exemplary embodiments, the arm includes a free end configured to receive a cable for controlling a flush valve of a plumbing fixture. In some exemplary embodiments, the assembly further comprises a sleeve extending from the housing and configured to receive the stem of the handle therethrough.
In some exemplary embodiments, the assembly further comprises a first nut configured to couple the housing to a plumbing fixture, and the sleeve includes an outer threaded portion, and the first nut is configured to threadably engage the outer threaded portion of the sleeve.
In some exemplary embodiments, the assembly further comprises a second nut configured to threadably engage the outer threaded portion of the sleeve and to sandwich a portion of the plumbing fixture between the first nut and the second nut to removably couple the housing to the plumbing fixture. A single-flush actuator assembly for a plumbing fixture comprises a housing, a handle including a stem and configured to be removably coupled to the housing, an arm disposed in the housing and configured to receive at least a portion of the stem and to pivot with the handle, and a lever assembly at least partially disposed in the housing and configured to be selectively disengaged from the stem to removably couple the handle to the housing, wherein a portion of the lever assembly is accessible at an outer portion of the housing and is configured to be actuated to remove the handle from the housing.
In some exemplary embodiments, the lever assembly is configured to be selectively disengaged from the stem by applying an upward force to the lever assembly without the use of a tool.
In some exemplary embodiments, the lever assembly comprises a lever, and a biasing member disposed around a portion of the lever, wherein the lever is configured to automatically engage the stem to removably couple the handle to the housing by a biasing force of the biasing member.
In some exemplary embodiments, the lever comprises an engagement portion having an engagement surface that is configured to engage a portion of the stem, and wherein the engagement surface has a shape that is complementary to a shape of the portion of the stem.
In some exemplary embodiments, the arm includes a free end configured to receive a cable for controlling a flush valve of a plumbing fixture.
As utilized herein, the terms “approximately,” “about,” “substantially”, and similar terms are intended to have a broad meaning in harmony with the common and accepted usage by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the subject matter of this disclosure pertains. It should be understood by those of skill in the art who review this disclosure that these terms are intended to allow a description of certain features described and claimed without restricting the scope of these features to the precise numerical ranges provided. Accordingly, these terms should be interpreted as indicating that insubstantial or inconsequential modifications or alterations of the subject matter described and claimed are considered to be within the scope of the application as recited in the appended claims.
It should be noted that the term “exemplary” as used herein to describe various embodiments is intended to indicate that such embodiments are possible examples, representations, and/or illustrations of possible embodiments (and such term is not intended to connote that such embodiments are necessarily extraordinary or superlative examples).
The terms “coupled,” “connected,” and the like as used herein mean the joining of two members directly or indirectly to one another. Such joining may be stationary (e.g., permanent) or moveable (e.g., removable or releasable). Such joining may be achieved with the two members or the two members and any additional intermediate members being integrally formed as a single unitary body with one another or with the two members or the two members and any additional intermediate members being attached to one another.
References herein to the positions of elements (e.g., “top,” “bottom,” “above,” “below,” etc.) are merely used to describe the orientation of various elements in the FIGURES. It should be noted that the orientation of various elements may differ according to other exemplary embodiments, and that such variations are intended to be encompassed by the present disclosure.
It is important to note that the construction and arrangement of the various exemplary embodiments are illustrative only. Although only a few embodiments have been described in detail in this disclosure, those skilled in the art who review this disclosure will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter described herein. For example, elements shown as integrally formed may be constructed of multiple parts or elements, the position of elements may be reversed or otherwise varied, and the nature or number of discrete elements or positions may be altered or varied. The order or sequence of any process or method steps may be varied or re-sequenced according to alternative embodiments. Other substitutions, modifications, changes and omissions may also be made in the design, operating conditions and arrangement of the various exemplary embodiments without departing from the scope of the present application.
This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/553,289, filed Sep. 1, 2017, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
62553289 | Sep 2017 | US |