US20150322660A1

US20150322660A1 - Anti-overflow toilet

Info

Publication number: US20150322660A1
Application number: US14/697,677
Authority: US
Inventors: Paul Conrad; Russell S. Denney
Original assignee: Mansfield Plumbing Products LLC
Current assignee: Mansfield Plumbing Products LLC
Priority date: 2014-05-08
Filing date: 2015-04-28
Publication date: 2015-11-12

Abstract

An anti-overflow toilet includes a jet feed conduit that is positioned opposite to a waste drain outlet. The toilet also includes an overflow conduit having an overflow inlet that is positioned within the jet feed conduit, which delivers flushwater from a tank to a jet outlet port to the toilet bowl. In the event the bowl becomes clogged, excess flushwater within the bowl is routed back through the jet outlet port and into the overflow inlet of the overflow conduit, whereupon the flushwater is routed via the overflow conduit away from the toilet to a suitable drain.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/990,291 filed May 8, 2014, which is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention generally relates to an anti-overflow toilet that prevents flushwater from overflowing out of a toilet bowl. More specifically, the present invention relates to an anti-overflow toilet that utilizes a jet feed conduit to deliver flushwater to evacuate waste from the toilet bowl. More particularly, the present invention relates to an anti-overflow toilet with an overflow conduit having an overflow inlet positioned within the jet feed conduit, such that excess flushwater within the bowl is routed back into the jet feed conduit, into the overflow inlet, and out of the bowl by the overflow conduit.

BACKGROUND

Conventional toilets are configured with a storage tank that collects an amount of flushwater that is supplied from a water main or water supply line, as needed. Upon the actuation of a lever or other control mechanism, a valve, such as a flapper valve, is opened and the collected flushwater is released into a bowl. As a result of this release of collected flushwater, solid and/or liquid waste material is evacuated out of the bowl and through a drain trap and carried away to an appropriate septic or sewage treatment facility.
Many designs have been utilized to accomplish the delivery of the flushwater from the tank into the bowl. For example, one approach of flushwater delivery divides the flushwater into two portions as it enters the bowl via a distributional manifold. In this approach, one portion of flushwater is routed via a rim conduit to rim ports disposed in a rim section that circumscribes the upper perimeter of the bowl, while the second portion of the flushwater is routed through a jet feed conduit or passage to a jet feed port/hole or siphon jet that is positioned within the lower section of the toilet bowl. The jet feed conduit is typically positioned so that it substantially opposes a waste drain outlet into which the solid/liquid waste material exits the bowl; however, it may be located in any desired position. Thus, the flushwater received in the rim conduit cleans the wall of the bowl and is combined in the bowl with the flushwater delivered by the jet feed conduit. This combined flushwater fills the toilet bowl and enters the waste drain outlet, which raises the water level in a waste trap with a velocity or rate sufficient to create a siphoning effect in the toilet bowl. The siphoning effect draws the flushwater and any solid/liquid waste material out of the bowl into the waste drain outlet and through the waste trap, whereupon it is delivered to a septic or sewer facility.
However, during the use of the toilet, the waste trap or waste drain outlet may become clogged due to the collection of excess solid waste material in the bowl. As a result, when the toilet is flushed, the flushwater that is released into the toilet bowl cannot escape, thus causing the water level in the bowl to rise and overflow thereover. Such overflowing wastewater may cause costly damage to surrounding floors, fixtures, and other items, thus creating an undesired mess to clean and repair.
To remedy the unwanted overflow of flushwater in a toilet when it is clogged, several attempts in the prior art have been made. One attempt includes providing a toilet having a secondary drain that is fluidly coupled to a bowl through a plurality of inlet holes disposed in a back wall of the toilet bowl. The inlet holes are positioned in the toilet bowl above the water line, at a point just beneath the rim of the toilet bowl. The second drain also includes an overflow reservoir that is disposed in the body of the toilet and that is in fluid communication with the inlet holes. The bottom floor of the reservoir angles downward and away from the inlet holes and terminates at an outlet hole that is located at the lowest point of the reservoir. An overflow drain tube is in fluid communication with the reservoir, which also includes a trap, so as to carry any overflow water that enters the inlet holes away from the toilet to a secondary discharge port.
Still another attempt to prevent the overflow of a clogged toilet utilizes a gutter that extends about the periphery of a toilet bowl just under a flush-water channel that delivers flush-water to openings distributed in the rim of the bowl. The gutter includes a narrow access passage or mouth that that may be open throughout its length, or may be formed as a wall having apertures that are dimensioned to only permit liquid to pass therethrough. An overflow drain conduit is coupled to the gutter, which also includes a trap, to carry the overflow water that enters the mouth of the gutter away from the toilet to prevent the overflow of the toilet bowl with flushwater.
While such prior art toilet designs provide various overflow outlet configurations to allow the evacuation of excess flushwater from the bowl when the waste drain outlet becomes clogged, such designs suffer from a serious drawback. Specifically, such toilet designs are susceptible to becoming clogged by solid waste carried in the bowl that is moved into the overflow outlets, thereby clogging them, as the level of flushwater rises during an overflow event, thus rendering the overflow features of the toilet useless.
Therefore, there is a need for an anti-overflow toilet that utilizes an overflow conduit that has an overflow inlet positioned in a jet feed conduit that supplies flushwater to a toilet bowl. In addition, there is a need for an anti-overflow toilet in which an overflow inlet of an overflow conduit is positioned within the jet feed conduit, making the overflow inlet resistant to clogging from solid waste material that may accumulate in the bowl.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In light of the foregoing, it is a first aspect of the present invention to provide an anti-overflow toilet having a tank adapted to receive flushwater from a water source; a bowl in fluid communication with a distribution manifold, the distribution manifold configured to receive the flushwater from the tank; a valve to selectively control the flow of flushwater from the tank into the distribution manifold; a jet feed conduit in fluid communication with the distribution manifold, the jet feed conduit having a jet outlet port disposed in the bowl to deliver flushwater thereto; a waste drain outlet disposed in the bowl to remove the flushwater from the bowl; and an overflow conduit having an overflow inlet and an overflow outlet, the overflow inlet disposed in the jet feed conduit; wherein when the waste drain outlet is blocked, excess flushwater in the bowl is routed through the jet feed conduit, into the overflow inlet, and out of the overflow outlet.
In another aspect the present invention provides an anti-overflow toilet, wherein the overflow conduit has an angled joint disposed between the overflow inlet and the overflow outlet.
In another aspect the present invention provides an anti-overflow toilet, wherein the angled joint separates the overflow conduit into a first section and a second section, such that the first section extends from the overflow inlet to the joint, and the second section extends from the joint to the overflow outlet, wherein the first section extends from the overflow inlet to the joint at a substantially right angle, and the second section extends from the overflow inlet to the joint at an angle.
In another aspect the present invention provides an anti-overflow toilet, wherein the first section and the second section are separated from each other at the angled joint by an acute angle.
In another aspect the present invention provides an anti-overflow toilet, wherein the waste drain outlet further comprises a waste trap.
In another aspect the present invention provides an anti-overflow toilet, wherein the overflow outlet is integral with the waste trap.
In another aspect the present invention provides an anti-overflow toilet, wherein the overflow conduit is integral with the bowl.
In another aspect the present invention provides an anti-overflow toilet further comprising a rim conduit that at least partially circumscribes the bowl, the rim conduit in fluid communication with the distribution manifold, so as to deliver flushwater to the bowl through at least one rim port disposed in the bowl.
In another aspect the present invention provides an anti-overflow toilet, wherein the cross-sectional dimension of the jet outlet port is smaller than the cross-sectional dimension of the waste drain outlet.
In another aspect the present invention provides an anti-overflow toilet, wherein the jet feed conduit extends from the distribution manifold at an incline, such that the overflow inlet is positioned higher than the jet outlet port.
In another aspect the present invention provides an anti-overflow toilet, wherein the cross-sectional dimension of the jet feed conduit is smaller than the cross-sectional dimension of the waste drain outlet.
In another aspect the present invention provides an anti-overflow toilet comprising a tank for holding flushwater, a distribution manifold for receiving the flushwater from the tank, a rim conduit and a jet feed coupled to the distribution manifold, the jet feed having a jet feed outlet, a bowl in fluid communication with the rim conduit and the jet feed for receiving flushwater therethrough, the bowl having a waste drain outlet in proximity to the jet feed outlet, and an overflow conduit fluidly coupled within the jet feed, wherein if the waste drain outlet is blocked, the flushwater bypasses the waste drain outlet through the overflow conduit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

This and other features and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view of an anti-overflow toilet having an overflow conduit in accordance with the concepts of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the anti-overflow toilet in accordance with the concepts of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a front cross-sectional view of the anti-overflow toilet in accordance with the concepts of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view of an alternative anti-overflow toilet having an overflow conduit in accordance with the concepts of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An anti-overflow toilet is generally referred to by numeral 10, as shown in FIGS. 1-3 of the drawings. Specifically, the toilet 10 includes a flushwater storage tank 20 that is configured to receive flushwater from a water main 30 or any other suitable water source. The flushwater storage tank 20 is in fluid communication with a bowl 40 via a distribution plenum or manifold 70 that serves to distribute flushwater to separate structures that include both a rim conduit 80 and a jet feed conduit or jet feed 90. The rim conduit 80 delivers flushwater through rim ports 100 that circumscribe or at least partially circumscribes the periphery of an upper section 92 of the bowl 40. In addition to the rim conduit 80, the jet feed conduit 90 also delivers flushwater to a siphon or jet outlet port 110 that is disposed in a lower section 112 of the bowl 40 at a point that is below the normal resting flushwater level, denoted as “L” in FIG. 1, that is present in the bowl 40 prior to its being flushed. That is, the jet feed conduit 90 is configured with a jet inlet 120 that is in fluid communication with the structurally separate distribution manifold 70. In other words, the distribution manifold 70 supplies flushwater to both the jet inlet port 120 and the rim conduit 80. Furthermore, the jet feed conduit 90 extends from the jet inlet port 120 to the jet outlet port 110, such that the inlet port 120 is higher than the jet outlet port 110. Moreover, the jet feed conduit 90 may extend from the inlet port 120 to the jet outlet port 110 at any desired slope or angle. In addition, the rim conduit 80 is configured with a rim inlet 122 that is in fluid communication with the distributional manifold 70. As such, because flushwater is delivered simultaneously to both the rim ports 100 and to the jet outlet port 110 via the respective rim conduit 80 and jet feed conduit 90 when the toilet 10 is flushed, the toilet 10 is referred to as a parallel flush-type toilet. In other words, the flushwater flows in two paths from the storage tank 20 into the bowl 40. The first path is from the tank 20 into the plenum 70, through the rim inlet 122 into the conduit 80 and then out the rim ports 100 into the bowl 40. The second path is from the tank 20 into the plenum 70, into the jet inlet port 120 through the jet feed 90 to the jet outlet port 110 and into the bowl 40.
To control the flow of flushwater from the tank 20 into the distribution manifold 70 for routing to the rim conduit 80 and to the jet feed conduit 90 is a valve 130, such as a flapper valve. The position of the valve 130 is controlled by an actuator 140, such as a lever or any other suitable mechanical or electromechanical device, that is carried on the outside of the tank 20 and operatively coupled to the valve 130. Thus, when the valve 130 is in its normal resting state, or otherwise closed, the flushwater is stored in the tank 20 and is prevented from entering the distribution manifold 70, and as such, prevented from ultimately flowing into the rim conduit 80 and the jet feed conduit 90. Alternatively, when the valve 130 is moved from its normal resting state, and placed into an open state, as shown in FIG. 1, to commence a flush of the toilet bowl 40, the stored flushwater is released from the tank 20 into the distribution manifold 70, whereupon the flushwater is permitted to flow into each of the rim conduit 80 and the jet feed conduit 90, so as to fill the toilet bowl 40 via the respective rim ports 100 and jet outlet port 110 in fluid communication therewith.
In order to evacuate the flushwater and waste that collects in the bowl 40 when the toilet 10 is flushed, a waste drain outlet 200 is provided in the bowl 40. The waste drain outlet 200 is disposed in the bowl 40 at a position that is substantially opposite to that of the jet outlet port 110 of the jet feed conduit 90 and is dimensioned to receive the flushwater and waste material carried within the bowl 40. In addition, the waste drain outlet 200 is in fluid communication with a waste trap 210 that is also in fluid communication with a septic, sewer, or other sanitary waste-removal conduit via a main drain outlet 230. Thus, when the toilet 10 is flushed, the flushwater carries the waste material into the waste drain outlet 200, where the waste material moves through the waste trap 210, and passes through the main drain outlet 230 that is in fluid communication with a septic, sewer, or other sanitary waste removal conduit. In addition, the waste drain trap 210 also serves to allow the bowl 40 to refill to its normal resting flushwater level “L”, shown in FIG. 1, after it has been flushed, so that the toilet 10 is ready for future use. As such, the jet outlet port 110 and the waste drain outlet 200 are configured so that they normally remain below the normal resting flushwater level “L”.
To prevent the toilet 10 from overflowing with flushwater, the toilet 10 also includes an overflow conduit 300 having an overflow inlet 310 and an overflow outlet 320. In one aspect, the overflow conduit 300 may also include an angled joint 340 that is disposed between the overflow inlet 310 and overflow outlet 320, so as to divide the overflow conduit 300 into an inlet conduit section 330 and an outlet conduit section 332. That is, the joint 340 may be configured to have a bend, whereby the inlet and outlet conduit sections 330,332 are oriented at a substantially acute angle to each other. However, it should be appreciated that the joint 340 may be configured to take on any other suitable angle. Moreover, the inlet conduit section 330 may extend from the overflow inlet 310 to the joint 340 at a substantially right angle, while the outlet conduit section 332 may extend from the overflow outlet 320 to the joint 340 at an angle. Furthermore, the joint 340 may be positioned above the overflow inlet 310 and the overflow outlet 320, and may serve to define the normal resting water level “L” within the bowl 40.
Continuing, the overflow inlet 310 is fluidly coupled within the jet feed conduit 90. In one aspect, the overflow inlet 310 may be positioned within the jet feed conduit 90 at a point proximate to the jet outlet port 110. As such, during a flush cycle the flushwater is directed from the jet feed conduit 90 toward the drain outlet 200 until such time that a clog develops. When a clog does develop, flushwater then enters the overflow inlet and passes through the overflow conduit 300. The overflow outlet 320 is fluidly coupled to the main drain outlet 230 associated with the waste drain outlet 200 that is below the waste trap 210. As such, the overflow outlet 320 is integral and combined with the main drain outlet 230, so as to form a master drain outlet 400 that is fluidly coupled to a sewer, septic, or other sewage-treatment facility.
It should also be appreciated, that the cross-sectional dimension of the jet feed conduit 90 and/or jet outlet port 110 is substantially smaller than the cross-sectional dimension of the waste drain outlet 200. For example, the cross-sectional dimension of the jet feed conduit 90 and/or jet outlet port 110 may be ¼ to ½ of the cross-sectional dimension of the waste drain outlet 200; however, any other suitable dimension or ratio may be used. In one aspect, the overflow inlet 310 may be located at a position that is equal to or higher than the jet outlet port 110. Such dimension of the jet feed conduit 90 and/or jet outlet port 110 serves to prevent solid waste material present in the bowl 40 from backing up into the jet outlet port 110/jet feed conduit 90 and clogging the overflow inlet 310 when the toilet 10 is used.
Thus, when the toilet 10 is flushed and the waste drain outlet 200 or waste trap 210 becomes clogged, flushwater enters the bowl 40 via the jet outlet port 110 from the jet feed conduit 90 and the rim ports 100. As the level of the flushwater rises in the bowl 40 because of the clog, the flushwater enters the jet feed conduit 90 via the jet outlet port 110. The excess flushwater then enters the overflow inlet 310 of the overflow conduit 300, where the excess flushwater passes around the joint 340 and out of the overflow outlet 320. Upon reaching the overflow outlet 320, the excess flushwater enters the master drain outlet 400, where it is routed to a sewer, septic, or other sewage treatment system, away from the toilet 10. As a result, the toilet bowl 40 is prevented from being overflowed with flushwater.
It should also be appreciated the anti-overflow features of the overflow conduit 300 discussed above with regard to toilet 10, may be incorporated in an alternative toilet 10′, shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings. The alternative toilet 10′, referred to as a series flush-type toilet, is configured such that jet feed conduit 90 does not directly deliver flushwater from the distributional manifold 70 to the jet outlet 110, as in toilet 10. Rather, the toilet 10′ is configured so that the jet feed conduit, designated as 90′, is in direct fluid communication with the rim conduit 80 via the jet inlet 120′. As such, the toilet 10′ is configured so that when it is flushed, flushwater is delivered first to the rim conduit 80 for delivery to the rim ports 100, and then subsequently to the jet feed conduit 90′ for delivery to the jet outlet 110. Thus, the flushwater follows a series flow path from the rim conduit 80 to the jet feed conduit 90′ for delivery to the bowl 40.
In one aspect, it should be appreciated that the overflow conduit 300 and the jet feed conduit 90 of toilet 10 may be on separate sides of the body of the toilet. Furthermore, the overflow conduit 300 may be utilized in the toilets 10 and 10′ in a redundant manner, whereby two or more overflow conduits are provided therein.
Therefore, one advantage of the present invention is that an anti-overflow toilet includes an overflow conduit with an overflow inlet positioned within a jet feed conduit that delivers flushwater to a bowl from a tank, so as to drain excess flushwater out of the bowl. Another advantage of the present invention is that an anti-overflow toilet provides an overflow conduit that includes an angled joint to define the normal water level within the toilet bowl. Still another advantage of the present invention is that an anti-overflow toilet includes an overflow conduit that is positioned externally or made integral with the body of the toilet. Yet another advantage of the present invention is that an anti-overflow toilet includes a jet feed conduit/outlet port having a dimension that restricts solid waste from entering therein, so as to prevent the clogging of an overflow inlet disposed within the jet feed conduit by solid waste material within the bowl.
Thus, it can be seen that the objects of the invention have been satisfied by the structure and its method for use presented above. While in accordance with the Patent Statutes, only the best mode and preferred embodiment has been presented and described in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto or thereby. Accordingly, for an appreciation of the true scope and breadth of the invention, reference should be made to the following claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An anti-overflow toilet comprising:

a tank adapted to receive flushwater from a water source;

a bowl containing a distribution manifold, said distribution manifold configured to receive the flushwater from said tank;

a valve to selectively control the flow of flushwater from said tank into said distribution manifold;

a jet feed conduit either in direct fluid communication with said distribution manifold or indirect fluid communication thru a rim conduit first then said distribution manifold, said jet feed conduit having a jet outlet port disposed in said bowl to deliver flushwater thereto;

a waste drain outlet disposed in said bowl to remove the flushwater from said bowl; and

an overflow conduit having an overflow inlet and an overflow outlet, said overflow inlet disposed in said jet feed conduit;

wherein when said waste drain outlet is blocked, excess flushwater in said bowl is routed through said jet feed conduit, into said overflow inlet, and out of said overflow outlet.

2. The anti-overflow toilet of claim 1, wherein said overflow conduit further comprises an angled joint disposed between said overflow inlet and said overflow outlet.

3. The anti-overflow toilet of claim 2, wherein said angled joint separates said overflow conduit into a first section and a second section, such that said first section extends from said overflow inlet to said joint, and said second section extends from said joint to said overflow outlet, wherein said first section extends from said overflow inlet to said joint at a substantially right angle, and said second section extends from said overflow inlet to said joint at an angle.

4. The anti-overflow toilet of claim 3, wherein said first section and said second section are separated from each other at said angled joint by an acute angle.

5. The anti-overflow toilet of claim 1, wherein said waste drain outlet further comprises a waste trap.

6. The anti-overflow toilet of claim 1, wherein said overflow outlet is integral with said waste trap.

7. The toilet of claim 1, wherein said overflow conduit is integral with said bowl.

8. The anti-overflow toilet of claim 1, further comprising a rim conduit that at least partially circumscribes said bowl, said rim conduit in fluid communication with said distribution manifold, so as to deliver flushwater to said bowl through at least one rim port disposed in said bowl.

9. The anti-overflow toilet of claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional dimension of said jet outlet port is smaller than the cross-sectional dimension of said waste drain outlet.

10. The anti-overflow toilet of claim 1, wherein said jet feed conduit extends from said distribution manifold at an incline, such that said overflow inlet is positioned higher than said jet outlet port.

11. The anti-overflow toilet of claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional dimension of said jet feed conduit is smaller than the cross-sectional dimension of said waste drain outlet.

12. An anti-overflow toilet comprising:

a tank for holding flushwater;

a distribution manifold for receiving the flushwater from said tank;

a rim conduit and a jet feed coupled to said distribution manifold, said jet feed having a jet feed outlet;

a bowl in fluid communication with said rim conduit and said jet feed for receiving flushwater therethrough, said bowl having a waste drain outlet in proximity to said jet feed outlet; and

an overflow conduit fluidly coupled within said jet feed, wherein if said waste drain outlet is blocked, the flushwater bypasses said waste drain outlet through said overflow conduit.

13. The anti-overflow toilet according to claim 12, wherein said distribution manifold comprises:

a rim inlet contiguous with said rim conduit to deliver a portion of the flushwater about an upper periphery of said bowl; and

a jet inlet port contiguous with said jet feed to deliver another portion of the flushwater to said jet feed outlet.

14. The anti-overflow outlet toilet according to claim 12, wherein said rim conduit delivers the flushwater to said jet feed.