Outflow valve assembly for a toilet tank

Abstract

A toilet tank outflow valve assembly for a flush toilet system is disclosed, wherein the outflow valve assembly includes a lower valve assembly portion, said lower portion having an outer sealing surface and an inner sealing surface, said outer and inner sealing surfaces adapted to contact a bottom of the toilet tank to form a first and second seal where the outflow valve assembly meets the bottom of the toilet tank.

1 . A toilet tank outflow valve assembly for a flush toilet system, the flush toilet system including a toilet tank, the outflow valve assembly comprising: 
 a lower valve assembly portion, said lower portion having an outer sealing surface and an inner sealing surface, said outer and inner sealing surfaces adapted to contact a bottom of the toilet tank to form a first and second seal where the outflow valve assembly meets the bottom of the toilet tank.    
   
   
       2 . The outflow valve assembly of  claim 1  where said first seal encircles said second seal.  
   
   
       3 . The outflow valve assembly of  claim 2  wherein a voided region is formed between said first seal and said second seal.  
   
   
       4 . The outflow valve assembly of  claim 3  wherein said outer sealing surface has a width that forms a ring shaped contact area with a bottom of said toilet tank.  
   
   
       5 . The outflow valve assembly of  claim 4  wherein said outer sealing surface is formed on an outer rim of a first protrusion from said lower portion of said valve assembly.  
   
   
       6 . The outflow valve assembly of  claim 5  wherein said inner sealing surface is formed on a downwardly pointing second protrusion from said lower portion of said valve assembly.  
   
   
       7 . The outflow valve assembly of  claim 6  wherein said downwardly pointing protrusion has an inwardly sloping surface forming said second surface.  
   
   
       8 . The outflow valve assembly of  claim 5  wherein said first protrusion has an outwardly sloping surface forming said first surface.  
   
   
       9 . The outflow valve assembly of  claim 6  wherein said first and second protrusions are formed integrally.  
   
   
       10 . The outflow valve assembly of  claim 6  wherein said first and second protrusions are formed separately.  
   
   
       11 . The outflow valve assembly of  claim 11  wherein said gasket is at least partially constructed of at least one material selected from the group consisting of elastomeric materials and rubbers.  
   
   
       12 . A gasket for an outflow valve in a flush toilet system, the flush toilet system including a toilet tank, the gasket comprising: 
 an outer portion having an outwardly sloping rim, said outwardly sloping rim having a first sealing surface adapted to contact an interior surface of the toilet tank to form a first seal; and    an inner portion having an inwardly sloping second sealing surface that protrudes further than said rim, said inwardly sloping second surface adapted to be coupled to a hole in said toilet tank to form a second seal, said second seal being encircled by said first seal thereby defining a voided region.    
   
   
       13 . The gasket of  claim 12  wherein the outer portion and the inner portion are formed integrally.  
   
   
       14 . The gasket of  claim 12  wherein the outer portion and the inner portion are formed separately.  
   
   
       15 . The gasket of  claim 12  wherein said outer portion has a curved outer region between said outwardly sloping rim and a top surface of said gasket.  
   
   
       16 . The gasket of  claim 12  wherein gasket is at least partially formed of at least one material selected from the group consisting of rubber and elastomeric materials.  
   
   
       17 . The gasket of  claim 12  wherein the first sealing surface and the second sealing surface are spaced apart.  
   
   
       18 . The gasket of  claim 12  wherein the gasket is adapted to be replaceably coupled to the outflow valve.  
   
   
       19 . The gasket of  claim 18 , wherein the outer portion is adapted to be replaceably coupled to the outflow valve separately from the inner portion.  
   
   
       20 . A method of retaining water in a toilet tank, the method comprising: 
 forming a first seal between a flush valve and said toilet tank; and    forming a second seal between said flush valve and said toilet tank, said second seal being encircled by said first seal.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising forming a space between the second seal and the first seal.