# US 10,246,866 B2 ยท Toilet fastening assembly and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server โ€” see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,246,866 B2 - Document ID: US10246866B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/586,516 - Filed: 2017-05-04 - Published: 2017-11-09 - Granted: 2019-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2016-05-04 - Applicants: Charles Hugh Junca - Inventors: Charles Hugh Junca - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10246866B2 ## CPC - E03D 11/16: Means for connecting the bowl to the floor, e.g. to a floor outlet - F16B 33/006: {Non-metallic fasteners using screw-thread} - F16B 21/09: Releasable fastening devices with a stud engaging a keyhole slot - F16B 35/06: Specially-shaped heads (special shape in order to rotate the bolt F16B23/00 {; separate hook adaptors for bolts F16B43/025}) - F16B 37/14: Cap nuts; Nut caps or bolt caps - F16B 37/145: {Sleeve nuts, e.g. combined with bolts} - E03D: WATER-CLOSETS OR URINALS WITH FLUSHING DEVICES; FLUSHING VALVES THEREFOR - F16B: DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING (couplings for transmitting rotation F16D) ## Abstract A toilet fastening assembly includes a fastener, a washer, and a cap. The fastener includes a base at a proximal end, a support extending from the base, and a threaded shaft extending from the support to a distal end. The base includes two flat surfaces interconnecting two curved surfaces. The support includes two flat surfaces interconnecting two tapered surfaces. The support's flat surfaces are aligned with the base's flat surfaces. The threaded shaft includes two distal tapered surfaces that are positioned perpendicular to the base's flat surfaces and the support's flat surfaces. The cap includes an outer wall defining an inner cavity and an inner cylindrical wall disposed within the inner cavity. The inner cylindrical wall's threaded inner surface receives the threaded shaft of the fastener. The inner cylindrical wall's proximal end is recessed relative to the outer wall's proximal end. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A toilet fastening assembly comprising: a fastener having a base at a proximal end, a support extending from the base, and a threaded shaft extending from the support to a distal end, the base including two flat surfaces interconnecting two curved surfaces, the support including two flat surfaces interconnecting two tapered surfaces, wherein the two flat surfaces of the support are aligned with the two flat surfaces of the base, wherein the threaded shall includes two distal tapered surfaces at the distal end, and wherein the two distal tapered surfaces are positioned perpendicular to the two flat surfaces of the base and the two flat surfaces of the support; and a cap having an outer wall extending from a proximal end to a distal gripping end, the proximal end including a proximal opening leading to an inner cavity defined by the outer wall, the cap further including an inner cylindrical wall extending from the distal gripping end to a proximal end disposed within the inner cavity, the inner cylindrical wall including an threaded inner surface configured to receive the threaded shaft of the fastener, wherein the proximal end of the inner cylindrical wall is recessed by a recess distance relative to the proximal end of the outer wall. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The toilet fastening assembly of claim 1, wherein the recess distance is between 1/32 inch and 1 inch. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The toilet fastening assembly of claim 2, wherein the recess distance is โ…› inch or 1/16 inch. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The toilet fastening assembly of claim 1, wherein the distal end of the fastener includes a flat end surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The toilet fastening assembly of claim 4, wherein the support of the fastener further includes an upper portion extending from the two flat surfaces and the two tapered surfaces of the support to the threaded shaft, wherein the upper portion has a generally round shape. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The toilet fastening assembly of claim 5, further comprising a washer integrally formed with the upper portion of the support of the fastener. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The toilet fastening assembly of claim 5, further comprising a washer having a central opening dimensioned to receive the threaded shaft of the fastener therethrough. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The toilet fastening assembly of claim 7, wherein the central opening of the washer includes a threaded surface configured to threadedly engage the threaded shaft of the fastener. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The toilet fastening assembly of claim 1, wherein the cap further includes one or more supports disposed within the inner cavity and interconnecting the outer wall and an outer surface of the inner cylindrical wall. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The toilet fastening assembly of claim 9, wherein the one or more supports each includes a tapered proximal end. ### Claim 11 A toilet fastening assembly comprising: a fastener having a base at a proximal end, a support extending from the base, and a threaded shaft extending from the support to a distal end, the base including two flat surfaces interconnecting two curved surfaces, the support including two flat surfaces interconnecting two tapered surfaces, wherein the two flat surfaces of the support are aligned with the two flat surfaces of the base, wherein the threaded shaft includes two distal tapered surfaces at the distal end, wherein the two distal tapered surfaces axe positioned perpendicular to the two flat surfaces of the base and the two flat surfaces of the support, wherein the two flat surfaces of the base and the two flat surfaces of the support are configured to cooperate with a slot in a floor flange for a toilet, and wherein the two distal tapered surfaces of the fastener are configured to cooperate with a slot in a foundation of a toilet; a washer having a central opening dimensioned to receive the threaded shaft of the fastener therethrough; and a cap having an outer wall extending from a proximal end to a distal gripping end, the proximal end including a proximal opening leading to an inner cavity defined by the outer wall, the cap further including an inner cylindrical wall extending from the distal gripping end to a proximal end disposed within the inner cavity, the inner cylindrical wall including an threaded inner surface configured to receive the threaded shall of the fastener, wherein the proximal end of the inner cylindrical wall is recessed by a recess distance relative to the proximal end of the outer wall. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The toilet fastening assembly of claim 11, wherein the recess distance is โ…› inch or 1/16 inch. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The toilet fastening assembly of claim 11, wherein the distal end of the fastener includes a flat end surface. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The toilet fastening assembly of claim 13, wherein the support of the fastener further includes an upper portion extending from the two flat surfaces and the two tapered surfaces of the support to the threaded shaft, wherein the upper portion has a generally round shape. ### Claim 15 A method of installing a toilet comprising the steps of: a) providing a toilet fastening assembly comprising: a fastener having a base at a proximal end, a support extending from the base, and a threaded shaft extending from the support to a distal end, the base including two flat surfaces interconnecting two curved surfaces, the support including two flat surfaces interconnecting two tapered surfaces, wherein the two flat surfaces of the support are aligned with the two flat surfaces of the base, wherein the threaded shaft includes two distal tapered surfaces at the distal end, wherein the two distal tapered surfaces are positioned perpendicular to the two flat surfaces of the base and the two flat surfaces of the support; and a cap having an outer wall extending from a proximal end to a distal gripping end, the proximal end including a proximal opening leading to an inner cavity defined by the outer wall, the cap further including an inner cylindrical wall extending from the distal gripping end to a proximal end disposed within the inner cavity, the inner cylindrical wall including an threaded inner surface configured to receive the threaded shaft of the fastener, wherein the proximal end of the inner cylindrical wall is recessed by a recess distance relative to the proximal end of the outer wall; b) securing the fastener within a slot of a floor flange for a toilet such that the base of the fastener engages a lower surface of the floor flange, the support of the fastener engages the slot, and the threaded shaft extends beyond an upper surface of the floor flange; c) positioning the toilet over the floor flange such that the threaded shaft of the fastener extends through a slot in a foundation of the toilet; d) securing the cover to the threaded shaft of the fastener by threadedly engaging the threaded shaft with the threaded inner surface of the inner cylindrical wall and rotating the cap to tighten the cap on the fastener. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein in step (b) the two flat surfaces of the support and the two flat surfaces of the base facilitate the insertion of the fastener through the slot of the floor flange. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein in step (c) the distal tapered surfaces of the fastener facilitate the insertion of the threaded shaft through the slot in the foundation of the toilet. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein in step (d) the cap is tightened until the proximal end of the outer wall of the cap engages an upper surface of the foundation of the toilet, and wherein the proximal end of the inner cylindrical wall of the cap does not contact the upper surface of the foundation of the toilet. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the toilet fastening assembly further includes a washer, and in step (b) the washer is secured to the fastener such that the washer engages the upper surface of the floor flange. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein a central opening of the washer includes a threaded surface, and step (b) further comprises tightening the washer on the threaded shaft of the fastener to apply a force on the upper surface of the floor flange.