Baths – closets – sinks – and spittoons – Flush closet – Tank only
Reexamination Certificate
2002-12-31
2004-09-07
Phillips, Charles E. (Department: 3751)
Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons
Flush closet
Tank only
Reexamination Certificate
active
06785914
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a toilet bowl washer fluid reservoir drain valve spacer body used for a toilet bowl washer fluid reservoir drain valve composed of a drain valve seat and a flapper action valve.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there is a toilet bowl washer fluid reservoir which is provided with a drain valve therein and which can supply washer fluid into a flush toilet bowl of a siphon jet system.
At present, concerning the drain valve described above, roughly classified as illustrated in FIGS.
9
(
a
) and
9
(
b
), there are two kinds of drain valves. Firstly, as exemplary illustrated in FIG.
9
(
a
), there is one type (hereinafter referred to as “A type”) which is composed of a drain valve seat “a
1
” from which overflow pipe “a
3
” is extended and whose upper edge portion is formed with a required oblique angle, and a drain valve body “a
2
” having an approximately spoon shape which is supported by a shaft in such a way that the drain valve body “a
2
” is capable of swinging in a vertical direction in the vicinity of a lower area of the overflow pipe, and which is seated on the drain valve seat so as to cover the drain valve seat.
Secondly, as exemplary illustrated in FIG.
9
(
b
), there is another type (hereinafter referred to as “B type”) which is composed of a drain valve seat “b
1
” in which an overflow pipe “b
3
” is extended from an outer side surface of the drain valve seat “b
1
”, which drain valve seat “b
1
” has a cone shape such that an inner side surface enlarges in an upper direction and which has openings at a middle portion thereof shaped as a radial pattern in a direction of a diameter, a drain valve body “b
2
” having a shape of a hollow ball which is seated on an inclined inner surface of the drain valve seat in such a way as to tightly engage the inclined inner surface of the drain valve seat and which has an opening at an underside thereof, and a guide pole “b
4
” which hangs from an internal upper portion of the drain valve body and which is inserted into a hole provided at a center of the opening of the drain valve seat and which is capable of moving in a vertical direction within the hole, wherein the drain valve seat “b
1
” and the drain valve body “b
2
” are connected by the guide pole “b
4
”.
In any of the drain valves, the drain valve body is connected to a lever handle provided at a side surface of the reservoir by a line shaped member, wherein when the lever handle is manipulated so as to turn, washer fluid is drained in such a way that the drain valve body is separated from the drain valve seat, and then washer fluid stored in the reservoir is capable of being drained so as to store air in the drain valve in order to maintain an open condition of the valve if the valve is opened once (required ascending force is obtained).
As to an amount of fluid drained from a conventional toilet bowl washer fluid reservoir, which is determined based on a design concept of actual manufacture, the amount of drained fluid is set so that the amount of drained fluid becomes a somewhat larger quantity in order not to generate a condition in which a little filth cannot be removed because the amount of drained fluid is little, and often, the amount of drained fluid is excessive.
Thereupon, an official gazette of U.S. Pat. No. 2,825,348, entitled “Amount of Stream Adjustment Free Flapper Action Valve for Toilet Reservoir”, pays attention to a problem in that an excessive amount of drained fluid is made to correct for an inadequate amount of drained fluid and which brings about a settlement.
Flapper action valve “c” disclosed in official gazette of U.S. Pat. No. 2,825,348, as illustrated in
FIG. 10
, is provided with a spherical cup “c
1
” which is capable of being inserted into a drain valve seat. Annular seal ring “c
2
” of the spherical cup, which is capable of tightly engaging, and being disengaged from, an upper edge portion of the drain valve seat, is provided at an upper peripheral surface of the spherical cup “c
1
”. In addition, hole “c
3
” is provided in a side wall of the spherical cup “c
1
”, and discharges air from an interior of the spherical cup “c
1
”, and hole “c
4
” is provided in a bottom of the spherical cup “c
1
” so that an amount of fluid is passed through the hole “c
4
”. These holes “c
3
” and “c
4
” are ones that connect a side surface of the spherical cup in the vicinity of a bottom surface of the annular seal ring “c
2
” of the spherical cup and an underside of the spherical cup. The flapper action valve “c” is supported by a shaft in such a way as to be able to pivot in a vertical direction in the vicinity of a bottom of the overflow pipe “a
3
”. In addition, the flapper action valve “c” is connected to a lever handle (not illustrated) provided at a side surface of the reservoir by a line shaped member so that the valve is capable of being opened and closed.
The flapper action valve “c” having such a configuration starts to drain washer fluid stored in the reservoir when the flapper action valve “c” is separated from the drain valve seat upon manipulation to rotate the lever handle. And then, air within an internal portion of the spherical cup “c
1
” is discharged gradually from the hole “c
3
” provided in a side wall of the spherical cup “c
1
” in the vicinity of the bottom surface of the annular seal ring “c
2
”, and simultaneously, part of the washer fluid within the reservoir gradually flows into the internal portion of spherical cup “c
1
” via the hole “c
4
” provided in the bottom of the spherical cup. During the time washer fluid flows into the internal portion of the spherical cup, the flapper action valve “c” maintains an open condition of the valve.
In the course of time, the internal portion of the spherical cup “c
1
” of the flapper action valve “c” becomes filled with washer fluid and loses its buoyant force gradually, and is seated on drain valve seat “a
1
” by its own weight. And then, water stored within the internal portion of the spherical cup “c
1
” is discharged from the hole “c
4
” provided in the bottom of the spherical cup “c
1
”, and then, the flapper action valve “c” returns to an initial state.
The flapper action valve “c” is a very appropriate one which is capable of simply obtaining a water-saving effect by replacing an existing drain valve body with the flapper action valve “c”. At present, the flapper action valve “c” is on sale at general merchandising stores such as home improvement centers and has a good reputation.
However, this flapper action valve is one which only can cope with a drain valve of the A-type described above, namely the flapper action valve can cope with a case in which the drain valve of the A-type is used. The flapper action valve “c” does not conform to the drain valve of the B-type, which is currently distributed largely in the market.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Thereupon, an object of the present invention is to provide a toilet bowl washer fluid reservoir drain valve spacer body which is capable of mounting a flapper action valve in a manner so as to achieve improvement in terms of a water saving effect with regard to an existing toilet bowl washer fluid reservoir approximately in its entirety.
In order to achieve the above mentioned object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a toilet bowl washer fluid reservoir drain valve spacer body which comprises a main body section having a cone shape and capable of being seated on an inner side surface and/or upper edge section of a drain valve seat in a fluid-tight manner. The main body section has opening sections provided at an underside thereof, and an upper edge section of the cone-shaped main body section is capable of detachably fluidly sealing against an annular seal ring of a flapper action valve. The valve spacer body also comprises a holding section for holding an overflow pipe and supporting the flapper action valve in such a way as to be able to pivot the flapper action valve in a vertical direction, where
Phillips Charles E.
Plenty Co., Ltd.
Wenderoth , Lind & Ponack, L.L.P.
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