The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 28, 2003
Filed:
Mar. 26, 2001
Feiyu Li, Xiamen, CN;
WDI International, Inc., Bedford Heights, OH (US);
Abstract
A float assembly for a ball cock assembly for a flush tank of a toilet includes an inner float component which is a buoyant element operatively connected to a shutoff valve atop a standpipe supplying water to the tank. The inner float component is disposed in an outer float component which is in the general form of a container disposed within the flush tank so that its top edge is at a selected water level. In the tank-filling portion of a flush cycle, when the water rises to the selected level, the outer float component suddenly becomes filled with water, causing the inner float element to abruptly rise, shutting off the flow of water into the flush tank. In this manner, the buoyant element is caused to rise at a rate which is greater than a rate at which the water is rising in the tank. The bottom of the outer float component is provided with a one-way valve so that, at the beginning of a flush cycle, when the water level drops to below the outer float component, water drains out of the outer float component. Water level again rises, the one-way valve, which itself is buoyant, closes. According to a feature of the invention, a connecting rod connecting the inner float component to a shutoff valve actuating arm is provided with two flat surfaces so that it may easily be installed and so that the position at which it links to the inner float component can easily be adjusted. According to another feature of the invention, an anti-siphon valve is disposed in a bottom portion of the standpipe to prevent water from draining out of the flush tank if there is a loss of pressure in the line supplying water to the flush tank.