# US 10,119,260 B2 · Discharge valve apparatus, flush water tank apparatus, and flush toilet > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,119,260 B2 - Document ID: US10119260B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/812,107 - Filed: 2015-07-29 - Published: 2016-02-04 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-07-31 - Assignees: Toto Ltd. - Applicants: Toto Ltd. - Inventors: Koki Shinohara; Hideki Tanimoto; Yukinori Kubozono; Kenji Hatama; Hisashi Koga - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10119260B2 ## CPC - E03D 1/33: Adaptations or arrangements of floats (actuating-floats in general F16K33/00) - E03D 1/35: Flushing valves having buoyancy - Y02A 20/40: Protecting water resources - E03D: WATER-CLOSETS OR URINALS WITH FLUSHING DEVICES; FLUSHING VALVES THEREFOR - Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE ## Abstract A discharge valve apparatus attached to a reservoir tank in a reservoir tank apparatus for storing flush water. The discharge valve apparatus includes a valve body, attached to the top of a discharge opening provided in the bottom surface of a reservoir tank, for opening and closing the discharge opening by up and down movement thereof, a float, attached to the valve body, which drops in tandem with the drop in water level inside the flush water tank; and a variable drop start timing mechanism to make a drop start timing of the valve body variable. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A discharge valve apparatus attached to a reservoir tank in a reservoir tank apparatus for storing flush water, comprising: a valve body, attached to a top of a discharge opening provided in a bottom surface of the reservoir tank, for opening and closing the discharge opening by up and down movement thereof; a float, attached to the valve body, which drops in tandem with a drop in water level inside the reservoir tank; and a variable drop start timing mechanism to make a drop start timing of the valve body variable, the variable drop start timing mechanism being a buoyancy adjustment mechanism disposed on the float, the buoyancy adjustment mechanism including a reservoir portion, disposed on the float, for storing flush water, and an adjustment portion for adjusting a volume of the flush water stored in the reservoir portion, whereby a time over which the flush water is discharged from the discharge opening can be changed, and a volume of the flush water discharged from the discharge opening can be changed; wherein the reservoir portion of the variable drop start timing mechanism has a side wall erected on an outer perimeter side thereof, and the adjustment portion adjusts the flush water volume by changing a height of the side wall of the reservoir portion; and the reservoir portion adjustment portion of the variable drop start timing mechanism comprises differing channel portions at multiple height positions formed on the float or on the side wall of the reservoir portion, and a projecting portion capable of insertion in the channel portions provided on the side wall or float. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The discharge valve apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reservoir portion side wall in the variable drop start timing mechanism enables storage of flush water up to a top edge portion formed around the entire perimeter thereof. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The discharge valve apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a wall portion extending outward close to the adjustment portion is formed on the float or on the perimeter surface of the reservoir portion side wall, and the outside edge of the wall portion is positioned outside the adjustment portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The discharge valve apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the wall portion is disposed to surround the adjustment portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The discharge valve apparatus according to claim 4, wherein movement in the circumferential direction of the wall portion is restricted so that the valve body does not rotate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The discharge valve apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reservoir portion of the variable drop start timing mechanism is formed around the float. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The discharge valve apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the discharge valve apparatus further comprises a guide portion for guiding the up and down motion of the valve body, the guide portion having a perimeter wall into which side walls of the reservoir portion are inserted, the perimeter wall being provided with openings for permitting flush water to flow out. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The discharge valve apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a top end of the guide portion opening is formed so that when the valve body reaches the highest position relative to the guide portion, it is positioned higher than a top edge of the reservoir portion side wall. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The discharge valve apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the surface area of the guide portion opening is set to a size such that a water level inside the guide portion drops at essentially the same speed as a drop in the water level inside the flush water tank. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The discharge valve apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the valve body comprises a seal portion for sealing the discharge opening, and a part of the valve body is positioned below the seal portion. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The discharge valve apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the valve body comprises a bottom surface, in which a hole is provided. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The discharge valve apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the discharge valve apparatus further comprises a connecting member attachment portion, to which a connecting member for pulling up the valve body to the top surface of the valve body, and the connecting member attachment portion comprises a rotation-limiting portion for limiting the rotational direction of the connecting member to one direction. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A reservoir tank apparatus comprising; a reservoir tank having a fluid outlet, and a discharge valve apparatus according to claim 1 mounted within the fluid outlet. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A toilet comprising the reservoir tank according to claim 13.