Rigid, adjustable-length flapper control rod for a toilet and associated methods

A flapper control rod for a flush toilet configured to permit user control of a flush cycle time and corresponding water usage, the toilet comprising a bowl, a tank in fluid communication with the bowl, a flush handle assembly carried by the tank and comprising a flush handle with a lever arm coupled thereto, and a flapper valve in the tank, the flapper control rod comprising:

• a rigid, adjustable-length, flapper control rod to be coupled between the lever arm and the flapper valve so that operation of the flush handle in a first direction causes said rigid, adjustable-length flapper control rod to pull open the flapper valve and so that operation of the flush handle in a second direction causes said rigid, adjustable-length, flapper control rod to push closed the flapper valve thereby permitting user control of the flush cycle time and corresponding water usage;
• said rigid, adjustable-length flapper rod comprising a body portion with first and second hook ends with threaded ends coupled thereto, with first and second adjustable threaded joints between the first and second hook ends and the body portion, at least one of said first and second hook ends comprising four continuous segments with the first three segments defining a triangle and the fourth segment lying parallel to the first segment and in spaced relation therefrom.

A flapper control rod for a flush toilet configured to permit user control of a flush cycle time and corresponding water usage, the toilet comprising a bowl, a tank in fluid communication with the bowl, a flush handle assembly carried by the tank and comprising a flush handle with a lever arm coupled thereto, and a flapper valve in the tank, the flapper control rod comprising:

• a rigid, adjustable-length, flapper control rod to be coupled between the lever arm and the flapper valve so that operation of the flush handle in a first direction causes said rigid, adjustable-length, flapper control rod to pull open the flapper valve and so that operation of the flush handle in a second direction causes said rigid, adjustable-length, flapper control rod to push closed the flapper valve thereby permitting user control of the flush cycle time and corresponding water usage;
• said rigid, adjustable-length flapper rod comprising a body portion and first and second hook ends coupled thereto, with first and second adjustable slidable friction joints between the first and second hook ends and the body portion, at least one of said first and second hook ends comprising four continuous segments with the first three segments defining a triangle and the fourth segment lying parallel to the first segment and in spaced relation therefrom.

A method of retrofitting a toilet to permit user control of a flush cycle time and corresponding water usage, the toilet comprising a bowl, a tank in fluid communication with the bowl, a flush handle assembly carried by the tank and comprising a flush handle with a lever arm coupled thereto, and a non-rigid, flapper control member coupled between the lever arm and a flapper valve in the tank, the method comprising:

• removing the non-rigid flapper control member;
• coupling a rigid, adjustable-length, flapper control rod between the lever arm and the flapper valve so that operation of the flush handle in a first direction causes said rigid, adjustable-length, flapper control rod to pull open the flapper valve and so that operation of the flush handle in a second direction causes said rigid, adjustable-length, flapper control rod to push closed the flapper valve thereby permitting user control of the flush cycle time and corresponding water usage, the rigid, adjustable-length flapper rod comprising a body portion with first and second hook ends, at least one of the first and second hook ends comprising four continuous segments with the first three segments defining a triangle and the fourth segment lying parallel to the first segment and in spaced relation therefrom.