US 2016/0102450 A1 · Kits, Assemblies and Methods for No-Tools Toilet Installation

Abstract

Kits and methods for installing a toilet bowl or toilet assembly without tools, and an installed toilet assembly, are described. The methods and assembly work with an existing flange or can include a standard closet flange configured to receive a flange bolt. The kits and assemblies include a flange bolt having a bolt head and a bolt stem extending from the bolt head and having an end portion opposite the bolt head, wherein the stem has an outer surface and the bolt head is configured so as to fit through an opening in a flange so that the bolt head contacts the lower surface of the flange and the end portion of the stem extends upwardly from the upper surface of the flange; and a bolt locking knob having an interior surface defining an opening extending therethrough, wherein the interior surface is configured so that when the end of the bolt stem is placed within the opening the interior surface of the knob contacts the exterior surface of the bolt stem in locking engagement and the knob is able to be hand tightened on the bolt stem when a toilet bowl base is positioned in place over the flange and the bolts have a size that is coordinated with the size of the locking knobs to eliminate the use of tools on installation of the bowl. Handle fasteners for manual tightening may also be included for installation of a tank on the bowl also without the use of tools. Mounting blocks are also described which enable installation while minimizing potential for injury due to suspending a toilet bowl or assembly while aligning the bowl so as to sit on a flange bolt(s).

Claims46

Dependent claims

-25. (canceled)

An assembly for installing a two-piece toilet assembly wherein the toilet assembly includes a bowl portion and a separate tank portion, comprising:

(a) a flange having an upper surface, a lower surface and an opening extending from the upper surface to the lower surface that is configured to receive a flange bolt;
(b) a flange bolt having a bolt head and a bolt stem extending from the bolt head and having an end portion opposite the bolt head, wherein the stem has a length measured longitudinally along the stem and an outer surface and the bolt head is configured so that upon installation of a bowl portion of a two-piece toilet assembly, the bolt head will fit through the opening in the flange so that the bolt head contacts the lower surface of the flange and the end portion of the stem extends upwardly from the upper surface of the flange;
(c) a bolt locking knob having an interior surface defining an opening extending through the knob, wherein the interior surface is configured so that upon installation of a bowl portion of a two-piece toilet assembly, when the end of the bolt stem is placed within the opening of the bolt locking knob, the interior surface of the knob contacts the exterior surface of the bolt stem in locking engagement and the knob is able to be hand tightened on the bolt stem, wherein the length of the bolt stem is pre-sized so that the end portion of the stem of the flange bolt is substantially within the opening in the bolt locking knob;
and
(d) a handle fastener having an interior surface defining an opening therein configured to receive a tank locking bolt for fastening a toilet tank to a toilet bowl in a toilet assembly in locking engagement, the handle fastener having an outer surface configured for manual tightening.

2 more elements

A kit for installing a two-piece toilet assembly wherein the toilet assembly includes a bowl portion and a separate tank portion, comprising:

(a) a flange bolt having a bolt head and a bolt stem extending from the bolt head and having an end portion opposite the bolt head, wherein the stem has a length measured longitudinally along the stem and an outer surface and the bolt head is configured so that upon installation of a bowl portion of a two-piece toilet assembly, the bolt head will fit through the opening in a closet flange so that the bolt head contacts a lower surface of a closet flange and the end portion of the stem extends upwardly from an upper surface of a closet flange;
(b) a bolt locking knob having an interior surface defining an opening extending through the knob, wherein the interior surface is configured so that upon installation of a bowl portion of a two-piece toilet assembly, when the end of the bolt stem is placed within the opening of the bolt locking knob, the interior surface of the knob contacts the exterior surface of the bolt stem in locking engagement and the knob is able to be hand tightened on the bolt stem, wherein the length of the bolt stem is pre-sized so that the end portion of the stem of the flange bolt is substantially within the opening in the bolt locking knob;
(c) a handle fastener having an interior surface defining an opening therein configured to receive a tank locking bolt for fastening a toilet tank to a toilet bowl in a toilet assembly in locking engagement, the handle fastener having an outer surface configured for manual tightening;
and
(d) instructions for installing a two-piece toilet assembly having a toilet bowl and a toilet tank.

2 more elements

A method for installing a toilet bowl on a mounting surface without using tools, comprising:

(a) providing a flange bolt comprising a bolt head and a bolt stem extending from the bolt head and having an end portion opposite the bolt head, wherein the stem has a length measured longitudinally along the stem and an outer surface;
(b) inserting the flange bolt through an opening in a flange, wherein the flange comprises an upper surface, a lower surface and the opening, wherein the opening extends from the upper surface to the lower surface and is configured to receive a flange bolt, so that the bolt head fits through the opening in the flange, the bolt head contacts the lower surface of the flange and the end portion of the stem extends upwardly from the upper surface of the flange and positioning the flange on a mounting surface;
(c) placing a toilet bowl having a mounting hole extending through a base thereof over the stem of the flange bolt so that the end portion of the stem extends upwardly through the mounting hole;
(d) placing a bolt locking knob over the end portion of the flange bolt stem, wherein the bolt locking knob has an interior surface defining an opening extending through the locking knob and an interior portion thereof, wherein the bolt locking knob is placed so that when the end portion of the bolt stem is within the opening of the bolt locking knob, the interior surface of the bolt locking knob contacts the exterior surface of the bolt stem in locking engagement and wherein the length of the bolt stem is pre-sized so that upon placement of a toilet bowl over the flange bolt and placement of the bolt locking knob over the end portion of the flange bolt stem, the end portion of the flange bolt stem is substantially within the opening of the bolt locking knob;
and
(e) fully tightening the knob manually on the bolt stem,
wherein installation of the toilet bowl is completed using the method without requiring use of tools, and wherein the bolt locking knob has a downwardly extending portion and the opening in the bolt locking knob also extends through the downwardly extending portion and the method further comprises placing the bolt locking knob such that the downwardly extending portion of the bolt locking knob also extends into the mounting hole in the base of the toilet bowl.

4 more elements

A method for installing a toilet bowl on a mounting surface without using tools, comprising:

(a) providing a flange bolt comprising a bolt head and a bolt stem extending from the bolt head and having an end portion opposite the bolt head, wherein the stem has a length measured longitudinally along the stem and an outer surface;
(b) inserting the flange bolt through an opening in a flange, wherein the flange comprises an upper surface, a lower surface and the opening, wherein the opening extends from the upper surface to the lower surface and is configured to receive a flange bolt, so that the bolt head fits through the opening in the flange, the bolt head contacts the lower surface of the flange and the end portion of the stem extends upwardly from the upper surface of the flange and positioning the flange on a mounting surface;
(c) positioning at least one mounting block on the mounting surface so that when the toilet bowl is placed over the end of the flange bolt, the toilet bowl is at least partially suspended over the mounting surface for better placement of the bolt in the mounting hole of the toilet bowl;
(d) placing a toilet bowl having a mounting hole extending through a base thereof over the stem of the flange bolt so that the end portion of the stem extends upwardly through the mounting hole;
(e) removing the at least one mounting block;
(f) placing a bolt locking knob over the end portion of the flange bolt stem, wherein the bolt locking knob has an interior surface defining an opening extending through the locking knob and an interior portion thereof, wherein the bolt locking knob is placed so that when the end portion of the bolt stem is within the opening of the bolt locking knob, the interior surface of the bolt locking knob contacts the exterior surface of the bolt stem in locking engagement and wherein the length of the bolt stem is pre-sized so that upon placement of a toilet bowl over the flange bolt and placement of the bolt locking knob over the end portion of the flange bolt stem, the end portion of the flange bolt stem is substantially within the opening of the bolt locking knob;
and
(g) fully tightening the knob manually on the bolt stem,
wherein installation of the toilet bowl is completed using the method without requiring use of tools.

6 more elements

A method for installing a two-piece toilet assembly on a mounting surface without using tools, comprising:

(a) providing a flange bolt comprising a bolt head and a bolt stem extending from the bolt head and having an end portion opposite the bolt head, wherein the stem has a length measured longitudinally along the stem and an outer surface;
(b) inserting the flange bolt through an opening in a flange, wherein the flange comprises an upper surface, a lower surface and the opening, wherein the opening extends from the upper surface to the lower surface and is configured to receive a flange bolt, so that the bolt head fits through the opening in the flange, the bolt head contacts the lower surface of the flange and the end portion of the stem extends upwardly from the upper surface of the flange and positioning the flange on a mounting surface;
(c) placing a toilet bowl having a mounting hole extending through a base thereof over the stem of the flange bolt so that the end portion of the stem extends upwardly through the mounting hole;
(d) placing a bolt locking knob over the end portion of the flange bolt stem, wherein the bolt locking knob has an interior surface defining an opening extending through the locking knob and an interior portion thereof, wherein the bolt locking knob is placed so that when the end portion of the bolt stem is within the opening of the bolt locking knob, the interior surface of the bolt locking knob contacts the exterior surface of the bolt stem in locking engagement and wherein the length of the bolt stem is pre-sized so that upon placement of a toilet bowl over the flange bolt and placement of the bolt locking knob over the end portion of the flange bolt stem, the end portion of the flange bolt stem is substantially within the opening of the bolt locking knob;
and
(e) fully tightening the knob manually on the bolt stem,
(f) installing a tank over the toilet bowl, by
(i) providing a handle fastener having an interior surface defining an opening in the handle fastener, and an outer surface configured for manual tightening of the handle fastener;
(ii) placing a toilet tank having a tank bolt having an end extending downwardly therefrom over the toilet bowl so that the tank bolt extends downwardly through a tank mounting hole in a rear portion of an upper surface of the toilet bowl and the end of the tank bolt extends beyond the tank mounting hole;
(iii) inserting the end of the tank bolt in the opening of the handle fastener;
and
(iv) manually tightening the handle fastener on the tank bolt,
wherein installation of the two-piece toilet assembly is completed without requiring use of tools.

10 more elements

A method for installing a toilet bowl on a mounting surface, comprising:

(a) providing a flange bolt comprising a bolt head and a bolt stem extending from the bolt head and having an end portion opposite the bolt head, wherein the stem has a length measured longitudinally along the stem and an outer surface;
(b) inserting the flange bolt through an opening in a flange, wherein the flange comprises an upper surface, a lower surface and the opening, wherein the opening extends from the upper surface to the lower surface and is configured to receive a flange bolt, so that the bolt head fits through the opening in the flange, and the end portion of the stem extends upwardly from the upper surface of the flange and positioning the flange on the mounting surface;
(c) positioning a mounting block on the mounting surface and positioning another mounting block on the mounting surface, wherein each of said mounting blocks is positioned so as to lie beneath a front and a rear portion of the lower surface of a toilet bowl when the toilet bowl is placed so as to be near or over the stem in step (d);
(d) placing the toilet bowl having a mounting hole extending through a base thereof so as to be near or over the stem of the flange bolt and lowering the toilet bowl until at least a portion of a lower surface of the toilet bowl rests on each mounting block;
(e) ensuring that the stem of the flange bolt is within the mounting hole and upright;
and
(f) removing the mounting blocks.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Kits, Assemblies and Methods for No-Tools Toilet Installation

Life of this patent

Kits, Assemblies and Methods for No-Tools Toilet Installation

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims46