AU2009200477A1 - A toilet pan installation bracket - Google Patents

Description

S&F Ref: 895002 AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT Name and Address Caroma Industries Limited, of Applicant: an Australian company, ACN 000 189 499, of 10 Market Street, Brisbane, Queensland, 4000, Australia Actual Inventor(s): Stephen John Cummings, Vincent Kai Hong Ho Address for Service: Spruson & Ferguson St Martins Tower Level 35 31 Market Street Sydney NSW 2000 (CCN 3710000177) Invention Title: A toilet pan installation bracket Associated Provisional Application Details: [33] Country: [31] Appl'n No(s): [32] Application Date: AU 2008901452 26 Mar 2008 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: 5845c(1961992_1) A TOILET PAN INSTALLATION BRACKET Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a toilet pan installation bracket. 5 Object of the Invention Toilet pans include an upper inlet port for receiving flushing water and a lower outlet port for output of flushed pan contents. The inlet port is connected to the outlet of a cistern (flush tank) and the outlet port is connected to a sewer. 10 In a new residence, the cistern outlet and the sewer connection can be mounted in the wall at a level aligned with the pan inlet and the pan outlet respectively. This facilitates easy connection therebetween when installing the pan. However, in an existing residence, when installing a new pan it can be difficult as it will often not connect with existing plumbing fittings. Particularly, the positioning IS of the ports on the new pan often do not match that of the existing pan being replaced. Installing a new pan will thus involve removing and repositioning the cistern outlet and sewer connection. This involves significant building and plumbing rectification works, which is difficult, time consuming and expensive and a major obstacle to pan changes. It is an object of the present invention to substantially overcome or at least 20 ameliorate the above difficulty in new pan installation. Summary of the Invention Accordingly, in a first aspect, the present invention provides a toilet pan installation bracket, the bracket including: 25 a first bracket portion adapted for fixing to a wall; a second bracket portion adapted for supporting an outlet end of a flushing water pipe; and a third bracket portion adapted for supporting an inlet end of a waste pipe, wherein the second and third portions are fixed relative to the first portion. 30 In a second aspect, the present invention provides a toilet pan installation bracket assembly, the assembly including: a first bracket portion adapted for fixing to a wall; a second bracket portion; a flexible flushing water conduit having an outlet end supported by the second 35 portion; a third bracket portion; and a flexible waste conduit having an inlet end supported by the third portion, wherein the second and third portions are fixed relative to the first portion. The second and third portions are preferably connected to the first portion. The first portion is preferably U-shaped. The second and third portions 5 preferably each include a pipe clamp. The clamps are preferably on the distal end of the first and second portions. The proximal end of the third portions are preferably connected to the first portion. In a third aspect, the present invention provides method of installing a toilet pan with an installation bracket, 10 the bracket including: a first bracket portion adapted for fixing to a wall; a second bracket portion; a flexible flushing water conduit having an outlet end supported by the second portion; is a third bracket portion; and a flexible waste conduit having an inlet end supported by the third portion, wherein the second and third portions are fixed relative to the first portion, the method including the steps of: fixing the first bracket portion to a wall; 20 supporting the outlet end of a flushing water conduit a first predetermined height above a floor with the second bracket portion; supporting the inlet end of a waste conduit a second predetermined height above the floor with the third bracket portion; pushing a cistern into engagement with the flushing water pipe outlet end and the 25 waste pipe inlet end. The method preferably also includes connecting an inlet end of the flushing water conduit to a cistern outlet and an outlet end of the waste conduit to a sewer outlet, prior to pushing the cistern into engagement with the flushing water pipe outlet end and the waste pipe inlet end. 30 Brief Description of the Drawings A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of an example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Fig. I is a perspective view of an embodiment of a toilet pan installation bracket; 35 Fig. 2 is a side view of the bracket shown in Fig. I prior to installation of a toilet pan; Fig. 3 is a side view of the bracket shown in Fig. 1 after installation of a toilet pan; and Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional side view of the bracket shown in Fig. I after installation of a toilet pan. 5 Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of a toilet pan installation bracket 10. The bracket 10 includes a first bracket portion adapted for fixing to a wall W, in the form of two plates 12. The bracket 10 also includes a second bracket portion, adapted for supporting an 10 outlet end of a flushing water pipe, in the form of a first, relatively small, cylindrical clamp 14. The bracket 10 also includes the third bracket portion adapted for supporting an inlet end of a waste pipe, in the form of a second, relatively large, cylindrical clamp 16. The clamp 16 is supported relative to the plates 12 by cantilever beams 18. The is clamp 14 is supported relative to the clamp 16 by a right-angled bracket 20. The plates 12 include slotted openings 22, through which are passed fasteners for attaching the plates 12, and thus the bracket 10, to the wall W. The clamps 14 and 16 included pairs of opposed openings 24 and 26 respectively through which can be passed fasteners (such as nuts and bolts) for bringing the two clamp halves together. 20 Fig. 2 shows the bracket 10 after fixing to the wall W at a predetermined height above a floor F. Fig. 2 also shows a cistern flushing water outlet fitting 32 and a flushing waste inlet sewer connection fitting 34. In an existing building, the fittings 32 and 34 would have been installed and fixed at a height above the floor F corresponding to the inlet and outlet ports of the pan to which they were connected. 25 Fitting a pan 40 of a different style or type to that originally connected to the fittings 32 and 34 begins with connecting the fittings 32 and 34 to flexible conduits 36 and 38 respectively. The distal end 36' of the conduit 36 is located by the clamp 14. The distal end 38'of the conduit 38 is located by the clamp 16. The location of the clamps 14 and 16 and thus the ends of the conduits 36 and 38 are fixed relative to the bracket 10. 30 The bracket 10 is installed at a predetermined height that suits the new pan 40. As a result, the distal ends 36', 38' of the conduits 36, 38 are similarly correctly positioned, regardless of the original positioning of their proximal ends (at existing fittings 32 and 34). For example, the bracket 10 and the flexible conduits 36 and 38 allows installation when the centre-line of the fitting 32 is within the range of 360-398mm above the floor F 35 and the centre-line of the fitting 34 is within the range of 170-235mm above the floor F.

Fig. 3 shows the replacement pan 40, which has a flushing water inlet 42 and a waste outlet 44. As the bracket 10 is positioned with the clamps 14 and 16, and thus the clamped ends of the conduits 36 and 38, are aligned with the heights of the inlet 42 and outlet 44 respectively, pan installation is greatly simplified. More particularly, the 5 installer merely has to push the pan in the direction of arrow 46 to connect the inlet 42 with the end 36' of the conduit 36 and connect the outlet 44 with the end 38' of the conduit 38. The use of the bracket makes the installation of replacement pans that have inlet and outlet ports at differing heights and spacings to those of the original pan possible 10 without significant building and plumbing rectification works, and thus easier, less time consuming and thus less expensive. This is particularly the case for pans having a shroud that limits access to the inlet and outlet fittings. Fig. 4 further demonstrates how the bracket 10 and the flexible conduits 36 and 38 allow the easy connection of a pan to plumbing fittings originally installed at a range is of various original positions, such positions indicated by rings 50 and 52. Further, when installing a new pan in a new residence, the bracket allows easy pan installation notwithstanding the inaccurate positioning of the inlet and outlet fittings in the wall. As the fittings do not have to be positioned as accurately, pan installation is again easier, less time consuming and thus less expensive. 20 Although the invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms.

Claims (11)

1. A toilet pan installation bracket, the bracket including: a first bracket portion adapted for fixing to a wall; 5 a second bracket portion adapted for supporting an outlet end of a flushing water pipe; and a third bracket portion adapted for supporting an inlet end of a waste pipe, wherein the second and third portions are fixed relative to the first portion. 10

2. A toilet pan installation bracket assembly, the assembly including: a first bracket portion adapted for fixing to a wall; a second bracket portion; a flexible flushing water conduit having an outlet end supported by the second portion; is a third bracket portion; and a flexible waste conduit having an inlet end supported by the third portion, wherein the second and third portions are fixed relative to the first portion.

3. The bracket as claimed in claim I or 2, wherein the second and third portions are 20 preferably connected to the first portion.

4. The bracket as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the first portion is U-shaped.

5. The bracket as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second 25 and third portions each include a pipe clamp.

6. The bracket as claimed in claim 5, wherein the clamps are on the distal end of the first and second portions. 30

7. The bracket as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the proximal end of the third portions is connected to the first portion.

8. A method of installing a toilet pan with an installation bracket, the bracket including: 35 a first bracket portion adapted for fixing to a wall; a second bracket portion; a flexible flushing water conduit having an outlet end supported by the second portion; a third bracket portion; and a flexible waste conduit having an inlet end supported by the third portion, s wherein the second and third portions are fixed relative to the first portion, the method including the steps of: fixing the first bracket portion to a wall; supporting the outlet end of a flushing water conduit a first predetermined height above a floor with the second bracket portion; 10 supporting the inlet end of a waste conduit a second predetermined height above the floor with the third bracket portion; pushing a cistern into engagement with the flushing water pipe outlet end and the waste pipe inlet end. is

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, further including the step of connecting an inlet end of the flushing water conduit to a cistern outlet and an outlet end of the waste conduit to a sewer outlet, prior to pushing the cistern into engagement with the flushing water pipe outlet end and the waste pipe inlet end. 20

10. A toilet pan installation bracket, the bracket substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11. A method of installing a toilet pan with an installation bracket, the method substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 25 Dated 9 February, 2009 Caroma Industries Limited Patent Attorneys for the Applicant/Nominated Person SPRUSON & FERGUSON