US 10,501,923 B2Granted

Method and apparatus for controlling a waste outlet of a toilet

AssigneeB/E Aerospace, Inc.

InventorsRobert Bauer, Bradley J. Buniak, Alan L. White

Life of this patent

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Abstract

An apparatus for controlling a waste outlet of a toilet includes a flush handle that is rotated by a user. A valve pinion arm is coupled to the flush handle and a waste discharge valve disposed at the waste outlet of the toilet is coupled to the valve pinion arm at an opposite end. The rotation of the flush handle is configured to move the valve pinion arm in a first direction. The movement of the valve pinion arm is configured to move the waste discharge valve to an open position. Upon release of the flush handle, the valve pinion arm is configured to move in a second direction and to move the waste discharge valve to a closed position. According to an embodiment, the apparatus includes an actuated flush control mechanism and a manual flush control mechanism.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An apparatus for controlling a waste outlet of a toilet, the apparatus comprising:

a motor-driven flushing apparatus and a manual flushing mechanism, the manual flushing mechanism comprising
a flush handle configured to be operated upon, the flush handle coupled to a shaft, the shaft coupled to a carriage;
a valve linkage arm coupled to the flush handle, the valve linkage arm including a spring plunger at a first end;
a waste discharge valve disposed at the waste outlet of the toilet and coupled to a second end of the valve linkage arm;
wherein:
operation of the flush handle is configured to move the valve linkage arm in a first direction;
rotation of the flush handle is configured to vertically move the carriage in the first direction towards the spring plunger of the valve linkage arm;
when the flush handle is rotated, the carriage is configured to engage the spring plunger;
movement of the carriage in the first direction while the carriage is engaged with the spring plunger is configured to move the valve linkage arm in the first direction to move the waste discharge valve to an open position;
and
upon release of the flush handle, the carriage is configured to slide opposite the first direction to an original position and the valve linkage arm is configured to move in a second direction and to move the waste discharge valve to a closed position.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/595,495Filed 15 May 2017 · us provisional application
Priority: 10 Apr 2017
Published: US 2018/0292022 A111 Oct 2018
Granted: 10 Dec 2019
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

E03D 11/10
Water-closet bowls ; Bowls with a double odour seal optionally with provisions for a good siphonic action; siphons as part of the bowl: bowls with…
E03D 5/09
Operated mechanically or hydraulically also details such as push buttons, levers and pull-card therefor: directly by the hand
E03F 1/006
Methods, systems, or installations for draining-off sewage or storm water: pneumatic sewage disposal systems; accessories specially adapted therefore
E03D
Water-closets or urinals with flushing devices

Family

Application62/483,734Us provisional application · filed 10 Apr 2017
US 2018/0292022 A1Pre-grant publication · published 11 Oct 2018
US 10,501,923 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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