Dual Flush Control Mechanism and Toilet Incorporating the Same

Abstract

A toilet flush control has a base member that secures to the toilet tank and supports an actuator shaft for rotational movement about a first axis. A flush arm is mounted to the base member for pivotal movement about a second axis that is spaced from the first axis and connects to the flapper. A float rod has a first end supported on the shaft whereby movement of the shaft in a first rotational direction pivots the float arm from a first float rod position to a second float rod position, and an end of the float arm is configured to engage the flush arm to move the flush arm to an intermediate position. A cam element is disposed on the shaft whereby, when the shaft is rotated in another rotational direction, the cam moves the flush arm from a first to a second flush arm position.

1 . A flush control mechanism adapted to mount in a toilet reservoir tank that has a tank side wall and a flapper that is operative in a closed state to prevent dispensing of water in said tank yet movable to an open state thereby to dispense water from said tank and into a toilet bowl, comprising: 
 (A) a base member adapted to secure to the side wall of said tank;    (B) an actuator shaft supported by said base member for rotational movement about a first axis;    (C) a flush arm pivotally mounted at a flush arm first end portion to said base member for pivotal movement about a second axis that is spaced-apart from the first axis, said flush arm pivotable between a first flush arm position to a second flush arm position through an intermediate flush arm position, said flush arm including a flush arm second end portion adapted to connect to the flapper;    (D) a float rod including a float rod first end portion supported on said shaft whereby rotational movement of said shaft in a first rotational direction pivots said float rod from a first float rod position to a second float rod position, said float rod including a float rod second end portion opposite said float rod first end portion that is configured to engage said flush arm when said float rod moves from the first float rod position to the second float rod position thereby to move said flush arm from the first flush arm position to the intermediate flush arm position; and    (E) at least one cam element secured to said shaft and operative to act on the flush arm second end portion when said shaft is rotated in second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction thereby to move said flush arm from the first flush arm position to the second flush arm position.    
   
   
       2 . A flush control mechanism according to  claim 1  including a limit stop operative to prevent movement of said float rod past the second float rod position.  
   
   
       3 . A flush control mechanism according to  claim 2  wherein said limit stop includes a stop block disposed on said base member.  
   
   
       4 . A flush control mechanism according to  claim 1  including a pintle disposed on said base member to define the second axis, said first flush arm end portion pivotally mounted to said pintle.  
   
   
       5 . A flush control mechanism according to  claim 1  including a manually operable flush handle adapted to mount on said shaft and operative upon selective manipulation to rotate said shaft in the first and second rotational directions.  
   
   
       6 . A flush control mechanism according to  claim 1  including a float secured to said float rod.  
   
   
       7 . A flush control mechanism according to  claim 6  including an elongated float stem having a proximal end secured to said float rod second end portion and a distal end supporting said float at a selected position relative to said second float rod end.  
   
   
       8 . A flush control mechanism according to  claim 7  wherein the selected position of said float relative to said float rod second end portion is adjustable.  
   
   
       9 . A flush control mechanism according to  claim 7  wherein the proximal end of said float stem is secured by a bracket disposed on said float rod second end portion.  
   
   
       10 . A flush control mechanism according to  claim 1  wherein said float rod second end portion includes a finger extending therefrom that engages said flush arm second end portion when said float rod moves from the first float rod position to the second float rod position thereby to move said flush arm from the first flush arm position to the intermediate flush arm position.  
   
   
       11 . A flush control mechanism according to  claim 1  including a catch disposed on said float rod second end portion.  
   
   
       12 . A flush control mechanism according to  claim 11  wherein said catch includes a spring-biased trip lever.  
   
   
       13 . A flush control mechanism according to  claim 1  wherein said flush arm has a slot formed in the flush arm second end portion and including a pin slideably received in the slot, said pin adapted to connect to the flapper.  
   
   
       14 . A flush control mechanism according to  claim 1  wherein said shaft is a hollow cylinder including a side wall having a pair of opposed slots each extending partially around the circumference thereof, said float rod first end portion rotatably journaled on said shaft and including a radial pin extending through the slots.  
   
   
       15 . A flush control mechanism according to  claim 1  wherein said flush arm includes a pair of spaced-apart, generally parallel flush arm sections with a generally open region therebetween, said float arm second end portion being interposed between said flush arm sections.  
   
   
       16 . A flush control mechanism according to  claim 15  including a pair of said cam elements secured to said shaft, each said cam element operative to act on a respective flush arm section when said shaft is rotated in the second rotational direction.  
   
   
       17 . A flush control mechanism according to  claim 1  wherein said flush arm first end portion has a cam surface formed thereon, said cam operative to engage the cam surface when said shaft is rotated in second rotational direction.  
   
   
       18 . A flush control mechanism adapted to mount in a toilet reservoir tank that has a tank side wall and a flapper that is operative in a closed state to prevent dispensing of water in said tank yet movable to an open state thereby to dispense water from said tank and into a toilet bowl, comprising: 
 (A) a base member adapted to secure to the side wall of said tank;    (B) an actuator shaft supported by said base member for rotational movement about a first axis;    (C) a pintle disposed on said base member in spaced-apart, substantially parallel relation to said shaft to define a second axis that is substantially parallel to the first axis;    (D) a flush arm pivotally including a flush arm first end portion pivotally mounted on said pintle for pivotal movement about the second axis, said flush arm pivotable between a first flush arm position to a second flush arm position through an intermediate flush arm position, said flush arm including a flush arm second end portion adapted to connect to the flapper;    (E) a float rod including a float rod first end portion supported on said shaft whereby rotational movement of said shaft in a first rotational direction pivots said float rod from a first float rod position to a second float rod position, said float rod including a float rod second end portion opposite said first float rod end portion that is configured to engage said flush arm when said float rod moves from the first float rod position to the second float rod position thereby to move said flush arm from the first flush arm position to the intermediate flush arm position;    (F) a float secured to said float rod; and    (G) at least one cam element secured to said shaft and operative to act on the flush arm second end portion when said shaft is rotated in second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction thereby to move said flush arm from the first flush arm position to the second flush arm position.    
   
   
       19 . A flush control mechanism according to  claim 18  including a manually operable flush handle adapted to mount on said shaft and operative upon selective manipulation to rotate said shaft in the first and second rotational directions.  
   
   
       20 . A flush control mechanism according to  claim 18  wherein said float rod second end portion includes a finger extending therefrom that engages said second flush arm end portion when said float rod moves from the first float rod position to the second float rod position thereby to move said flush arm from the first flush arm position to the intermediate flush arm position.  
   
   
       21 . A flush control mechanism according to  claim 18  including a catch disposed on said float rod second end portion.  
   
   
       22 . A flush control mechanism according to  claim 18  wherein said flush arm has a slot formed in the flush arm second end portion and including a pin slideably received in the slot, said pin adapted to connect to the flapper.  
   
   
       23 . A flush control mechanism according to  claim 18  wherein said flush arm first end portion has a cam surface formed thereon, said cam operative to engage the cam surface when said shaft is rotated in second rotational direction.  
   
   
       24 . A flush control mechanism according to  claim 18  including a limit stop disposed on said base member and operative to prevent movement of said float rod past the second float rod position.  
   
   
       25 . In a toilet including a bowl, a reservoir tank having a tank interior in fluid communication with said bowl by way of a tank discharge opening, and a flapper which is operative in a closed state to close the discharge opening thereby to prevent dispensing of water said tank yet which is movable to an open state thereby to dispense water from said tank into said bowl, and wherein said tank has a side wall, the improvement comprising a flush control mechanism including a base member secured to the side wall on the interior of said tank, an actuator shaft rotatably supported by said base member for rotation about a first axis and projecting both exteriorly and interiorly of said tank, a handle disposed on an exterior portion of said shaft, a flush arm pivotally mounted at a flush arm first end portion to said base member for pivotal movement about a second axis that is spaced-apart from the first pivot axis, said flush arm pivotable between a first flush arm position to a second flush arm position through an intermediate flush arm position, said flush control arm including a flush arm second end portion connected to said flapper, a float rod including a float rod first end portion supported on an interior portion of said shaft whereby rotational movement of said shaft in a first rotational direction pivots said float rod from a first float rod position to a second float rod position, said float rod including a float rod second end portion opposite said float rod first end portion that is configured to engage said flush arm when said float rod moves from the first float rod position to the second float rod position thereby to move said flush arm from the first flush arm position to the intermediate flush arm position and thus move said flapper toward the open position, and at least one cam element secured to said shaft and operative to act on the second flush arm end portion when said shaft is rotated in second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction thereby to move said flush arm from the first flush arm position to the second flush arm position and thus move said flapper toward the open position.  
   
   
       26 . The improvement according to  claim 25  including a pintle disposed on said base member to define the second axis, said float rod first end portion pivotally mounted to said pintle.  
   
   
       27 . The improvement according to  claim 25  including a float secured to said float rod.  
   
   
       28 . The improvement according to  claim 25  including a catch disposed on said float rod second end portion.  
   
   
       29 . The improvement according to  claim 25  wherein said flush arm has a slot formed in the flush arm second end portion and including a pin slideably received in the slot, said pin adapted to connect to the flapper.  
   
   
       30 . The improvement according to  claim 25  wherein said flush arm first end portion has a cam surface formed thereon, said cam operative to engage the cam surface when said shaft is rotated in second rotational direction.