Flush handles for dual flush-volume toilet system

Abstract

A dual flush-volume toilet system is disclosed, wherein the toilet system includes a low volume flush valve configured to flush a first, lesser volume of water, a high volume flush valve configured to flush a second, greater volume of water, a low volume flush handle configured to open the low volume flush valve, and a high volume flush handle configured to open the high volume flush valve. At least one of the low volume flush handle and the high volume flush handle includes indicia configured to indicate to the user which of the high volume flush valve and the low volume flush valve is opened by the flush handle having the indicia.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A dual flush-volume toilet system, comprising: 
 a low volume flush valve configured to flush a first, lesser volume of water;    a high volume flush valve configured to flush a second, greater volume of water;    a low volume flush handle configured to open the low volume flush valve; and    a high volume flush handle configured to open the high volume flush valve, wherein at least one of the low volume flush handle and the high volume flush handle includes indicia configured to indicate to the user which of the high volume flush valve and the low volume flush valve is opened by the flush handle having the indicia.    
     
     
         2 . The toilet system of  claim 1 , wherein the indicia is a symbol disposed on the low volume flush handle.  
     
     
         3 . The toilet system of  claim 2 , wherein the indicia is printed on the low volume flush handle.  
     
     
         4 . The toilet system of  claim 2 , wherein the indicia is molded into the low volume flush handle.  
     
     
         5 . The toilet system of  claim 2 , wherein the indicia includes a “1.” 
     
     
         6 . The toilet system of  claim 1 , wherein the indicia is a symbol disposed on the high volume flush handle.  
     
     
         7 . The toilet system of  claim 1 , wherein the indicia includes a “2.” 
     
     
         8 . The toilet system of  claim 1 , wherein the indicia communicates to a user a type of waste flushed by the flush handle having the indicia.  
     
     
         9 . The toilet system of  claim 1 , wherein the indicia is formed by a shape of the low volume flush handle.  
     
     
         10 . The toilet system of  claim 9 , wherein the low volume flush handle has a shape resembling a “1.” 
     
     
         11 . The toilet system of  claim 1 , wherein the indicia is formed by a shape of the high volume flush handle.  
     
     
         12 . The toilet system of  claim 11 , wherein the high volume flush handle has a shape resembling a “2.” 
     
     
         13 . A dual flush-volume toilet system, comprising: 
 a low volume flush valve configured to flush a first, lesser volume of water;    a high volume flush valve configured to flush a second, greater volume of water;    a low volume flush handle configured to open the low volume flush valve, wherein the low volume flush handle includes a first indicator indicating a type of waste to be flushed by the low volume flush handle; and    a high volume flush handle configured to open the high volume flush valve, wherein the high volume flush handle includes a second indicator indicating a type of waste to be flushed by the high volume flush handle.    
     
     
         14 . The toilet system of  claim 13 , wherein the first indicator includes a symbol disposed on the low volume flush handle.  
     
     
         15 . The toilet system of  claim 14 , wherein the symbol is printed on the low volume flush handle.  
     
     
         16 . The toilet system of  claim 14 , wherein the symbol is molded into the low volume flush handle.  
     
     
         17 . The toilet system of  claim 14 , wherein the symbol includes a “1.” 
     
     
         18 . The toilet system of  claim 13 , wherein the second indicator includes a symbol in the form of a “2.” 
     
     
         19 . The toilet system of  claim 13 , wherein the first indicator is formed by a shape of the low volume flush handle.  
     
     
         20 . The toilet system of  claim 19 , wherein the shape of the low volume flush handle resembles a “1.” 
     
     
         21 . The toilet system of  claim 13 , wherein the second indicator is formed by a shape of the high volume flush handle.  
     
     
         22 . The toilet system of  claim 21 , wherein the shape of the high volume flush handle resembles a “2.” 
     
     
         23 . A dual flush-volume toilet system, comprising: 
 a low volume flush valve configured to flush a first, lesser volume of water;    a high volume flush valve configured to flush a second, greater volume of water;    a low volume flush handle configured to open the low volume flush valve; and    a high volume flush handle configured to open the high volume flush valve, wherein at least one of the high volume flush handle and the low volume flush handle has a shape configured to communicate to a user which type of waste that flush handle is configured to flush.    
     
     
         24 . The toilet system of  claim 23 , wherein both the low volume flush handle and the high volume flush handle have shapes configured to communicate to the user types of waste each handle is configured to flush.  
     
     
         25 . The toilet system of  claim 23 , wherein the low volume flush handle has a shape resembling a “1.” 
     
     
         26 . The toilet system of  claim 23 , wherein the high volume flush handle has a shape resembling a “2.” 
     
     
         27 . A toilet handle set for use with a dual flush-volume toilet system, the dual flush volume toilet system including a low volume flush valve for flushing a first, lesser volume of water and a high volume flush valve for flushing a second, greater volume of water, the handle set comprising a handle for operating the low volume flush valve and a handle for operating the high volume flush valve, wherein at least one of the handle for operating the low volume flush valve and the handle for operating the high volume flush valve has a shape configured to communicate to a user a type of waste that handle is configured to flush.  
     
     
         28 . The toilet handle set of  claim 27 , wherein the low volume flush handle has a shape resembling a “1.” 
     
     
         29 . The toilet handle set of  claim 27 , wherein the high volume flush handle has a shape resembling a “2.” 
     
     
         30 . A dual flush-volume toilet system, comprising: 
 a tank configured to hold a volume of water;    a low volume flush valve configured to flush a first, lesser volume of water from the tank;    a high volume flush valve configured to flush a second, greater volume of water from the tank;    a low volume flush handle configured to open the low volume flush valve; and    a high volume flush handle configured to open the high volume flush valve, wherein the high volume flush handle includes a protrusion configured to extend into a depression having a fixed relation relative to the tank, and wherein the high volume flush handle is configured to be pulled outwardly to remove the protrusion from the depression to allow the high volume flush handle to be turned.    
     
     
         31 . The toilet system of  claim 30 , further comprising a bushing extending through the toilet tank, wherein the depression is located on a flange coupled with the bushing.  
     
     
         32 . The toilet system of  claim 31 , wherein the low volume flush handle is coupled to a rotatable member that extends through the bushing, and wherein the rotatable member is coupled to a low volume flush wand configured to raise the low volume flush valve when the low volume flush handle is turned.  
     
     
         33 . The toilet system of  claim 32 , wherein the rotatable member is hollow, further comprising a slidable member extending through the rotatable member, the slidable member including a first end coupled to the high volume flush handle and a second end coupled to a high volume flush wand configured to raise the high volume flush valve when the high volume flush handle is turned.  
     
     
         34 . The toilet system of  claim 33 , further comprising a biasing member configured to urge the protrusion into the depression.  
     
     
         35 . The toilet system of  claim 34 , wherein the biasing member is a spring disposed between the low volume flush wand and the high volume flush wand.  
     
     
         36 . The toilet system of  claim 30 , wherein the high volume flush handle is configured to be moved in a different direction than the low volume flush handle to open the high volume flush valve.  
     
     
         37 . A dual flush-volume toilet system, comprising: 
 a tank configured to hold a volume of water;    a low volume flush valve configured to flush a first, lesser volume of water from the tank;    a high volume flush valve configured to flush a second, greater volume of water from the tank;    a low volume flush handle configured to actuate a low volume flush wand to open the low volume flush valve;    a high volume flush handle configured to actuate a high volume flush wand to to open the high volume flush valve; and    a lifting member coupled to the high volume flush wand, wherein the lifting member is configured to lift the low volume flush wand when a user actuates the high volume flush wand.    
     
     
         38 . A dual flush-volume toilet system, comprising: 
 a tank configured to hold a volume of water;    a low volume flush valve configured to flush a first, lesser volume of water from the tank;    a high volume flush valve configured to flush a second, greater volume of water from the tank;    a low volume flush handle operable to open the low volume flush valve; and    a high volume flush handle operable to open both the low volume flush valve and the high volume flush valve.