Toilet flapper valve and assembly

Abstract

A toilet flapper valve has a rigid bulb insert and a surrounding flapper top, the latter being preferably made of an elastomeric material. The flapper valve of the present invention can be used as equipment in toilets of original manufacture and as replacement after-market devices.

1 . A flapper valve for use with a toilet flush valve, the toilet flapper valve comprising:
 a flapper top, the flapper top being made of an elastomeric material, and   a rigid bulb insert.   
   
   
       2 . The toilet flapper valve of  claim 1  wherein the rigid bulb insert of the toilet flapper valve comprises a generally horizontal rim portion, a generally vertical upper wall extending upwardly from the rim portion, a lower wall extending downwardly from the rim portion, and a floor. 
   
   
       3 . The toilet flapper valve of  claim 2  wherein the rigid bulb insert of the toilet flapper valve comprises a plurality of inner support lattices, the inner support lattices being disposed generally vertically. 
   
   
       4 . The toilet flapper valve of  claim 3  wherein the floor of the rigid bulb insert of the toilet flapper valve comprises an aperture defined in it. 
   
   
       5 . The toilet flapper valve of  claim 4  wherein the rigid bulb insert comprises a generally curved rim portion and a generally flat rim portion, a generally curved upper wall portion and a generally flat upper wall portion, and a generally curved lower wall portion and a generally flat lower wall portion. 
   
   
       6 . The toilet flapper valve of  claim 5  wherein the rigid bulb insert further comprises a curved lower wall and a flat lower wall extending downwardly in a cup-shaped fashion below the rim portions, the curved lower wall and the flat lower wall being integrally formed with the floor. 
   
   
       7 . The toilet flapper valve of  claim 1  wherein the flapper top comprises an upper inverted cup-shaped portion and an outer peripheral flange that is configured to mate with a valve seat of the toilet flush valve. 
   
   
       8 . The toilet flapper valve of  claim 7  wherein the flapper top comprises an inner flange that is configured to form a seal surface for the horizontal rim of the rigid bulb insert. 
   
   
       9 . A toilet flapper valve and flush valve assembly, the flush valve comprising a valve body inlet and a valve seat, and the toilet flapper valve comprising:
 a flapper top, the flapper top being made of an elastomeric material, and   a rigid bulb insert.   
   
   
       10 . The assembly of  claim 9  wherein the rigid bulb insert of the toilet flapper valve comprises a generally horizontal rim portion, a generally vertical upper wall extending upwardly from the rim portion, a lower wall extending downwardly from the rim portion, and a floor. 
   
   
       11 . The assembly of  claim 10  wherein the rigid bulb insert of the toilet flapper valve comprises a plurality of inner support lattices, the inner support lattices being disposed generally vertically. 
   
   
       12 . The assembly of  claim 11  wherein the floor of the rigid bulb insert of the toilet flapper valve comprises an aperture defined in it. 
   
   
       13 . The assembly of  claim 12  wherein the rigid bulb insert comprises a generally curved rim portion that is continuous with a generally flat rim portion, a generally curved upper wall portion that is continuous with a generally flat upper wall portion, and a generally curved lower wall portion that is continuous with a generally flat lower wall portion. 
   
   
       14 . The assembly of  claim 5  wherein the rigid bulb insert further comprises a curved lower wall and a flat lower wall extending downwardly in a cup-shaped fashion below the rim portions, the curved lower wall and the flat lower wall being integrally formed with the floor. 
   
   
       15 . The assembly of  claim 9  wherein the flapper top comprises an upper inverted cup-shaped portion and an outer peripheral flange that is configured to mate with the valve seat of the toilet flush valve. 
   
   
       16 . The assembly of  claim 15  wherein the flapper top comprises an inner flange that is configured to form a seal surface for the horizontal rim of the rigid bulb insert. 
   
   
       17 . The assembly of  claim 16  wherein the rigid bulb insert is configured to engage and rest upon a portion of the valve body inlet. 
   
   
       18 . The assembly of  claim 17  wherein the flush valve further comprises a pair of opposing pegs and the flapper top comprises a pair of opposing mounting arms and apertures for securing the arms to the pegs.