Closet carrier assemblies having multiple orientations and a cross brace handle

Abstract

A closet carrier assembly for a wall-mounted toilet includes a frame assembly having a pair of spaced apart opposing frames. Each frame includes a front leg, a rear leg, and an arm connecting the front and rear legs. A cross brace extends between the frames for providing structural support. A nipple connector forms an outlet and an inlet for coupling to a waste pipe of the wall mounted toilet. The nipple connector is secured to the front legs of the frames. A waste pipe chase conduit couples to the outlet of the nipple connector. The waste pipe chase includes a conduit outlet portion extending between the legs of one of the opposing frames, and a threaded stub on the waste pipe chase conduit. A hanger bracket extends between one of the frames and the threaded stub for supporting the waste pipe chase conduit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A closet carrier assembly for a wall-mounted toilet comprising:
 a frame assembly including:   a pair of spaced apart opposing frames, each frame comprising a front leg, a rear leg, and an arm connecting the front and rear legs; and   a cross brace extending between the frames for providing structural support;   a nipple connector forming an outlet and an inlet for coupling to a waste pipe of the wall mounted toilet, the nipple connector secured to the front legs of the frames;   a waste pipe chase conduit coupled to the outlet of the nipple connector, the waste pipe chase including: a conduit outlet portion extending between the legs of one of the opposing frames; and a threaded stub on the waste pipe chase conduit; and   a hanger bracket extending between one of the frames and the threaded stub for supporting the waste pipe chase conduit.   
     
     
         2 . A closet carrier assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein: the frames are identical: each frame includes at least two threaded bracket mounting bosses; and the hanger bracket forms a plurality of frame mounting holes. 
     
     
         3 . A closet carrier assembly as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a second threaded stub on the waste pipe chase conduit that opposes the threaded stub so that the conduit outlet portion can be oriented and still supported by the hanger bracket mounted to the second threaded stub and an other of the opposing frames. 
     
     
         4 . A closet carrier assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the cross brace is shaped to match a profile of the frames and forms a pathway for passage of a vertical vent pipe connected to the waste pipe chase conduit. 
     
     
         5 . A closet carrier assembly as recited in  claim 4 , wherein a shape of the pathway is semi-circular, sized to match the vertical vent pipe, and forms slots, and
 further comprising a flexible plastic cable tie in the slots for securing the vertical vent pipe to the cross brace.   
     
     
         6 . A closet carrier assembly as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the cross brace includes a top handle portion forming a hand passage so that the top handle portion serves as a handle for carrying the closet carrier assembly. 
     
     
         7 . A closet carrier assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the nipple connector includes an outer flange with two throughbores for mounting to the frame assembly. 
     
     
         8 . A closet carrier assembly as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the outer flange defines a central inlet opening surrounded by a forward ridge and a neck extends backward from the central inlet opening, the neck having a first threaded portion for threading to the waste pipe. 
     
     
         9 . A closet carrier assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the waste pipe includes an enlarged end forming a hollow around outer threads that couple to the first threaded portion so that the forward ridge is within the hollow. 
     
     
         10 . A closet carrier assembly for a wall-mounted toilet assembly, the closet carrier assembly comprising:
 a nipple connector defining: an inlet configured to couple to a waste pipe of the wall-mounted toilet; and an outlet in fluid communication with the inlet;   a waste pipe chase conduit having: a first portion configured to couple to the outlet of the nipple connector; and a second portion in fluid with the first portion and extending at an angle from the first portion; and   a frame assembly including:
 a first frame; 
 a second frame spaced apart from the first frame, wherein each frame comprises:
 a proximal post configured to couple to the nipple connector and terminating in a proximal foot configured stand on floor on a proximal side of the second portion of the waste pipe chase conduit; 
 a distal post terminating in a distal foot configured to stand on floor on a distal side of the second portion of the waste pipe chase conduit; and 
 a top portion connecting the proximal and distal posts. 
 
   
     
     
         11 . A closet carrier assembly as recited in  claim 10 , further comprising a cross brace extending between the top portions for providing structural support, wherein the cross brace forms a pathway for passage of a vertical vent pipe connected to the waste pipe chase conduit. 
     
     
         12 . A closet carrier assembly as recited in  claim 11 , wherein: a shape of the pathway is semi-circular, sized to match the vertical vent pipe; the cross brace includes a top handle portion forming a hand passage so that the top handle portion serves as a handle for carrying the closet carrier assembly; and the nipple connector includes an outer flange with two throughbores for mounting to the proximal posts. 
     
     
         13 . A closet carrier assembly as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the waste pipe chase conduit includes: a right-orientation threaded stub; a right-hand orientation coupling and a left-orientation threaded stub opposing the right-orientation threaded stub, and
 further comprising a hanger bracket extending between one of the frames and one of the threaded stubs for supporting the waste pipe chase conduit depending upon an orientation of the waste pipe chase conduit.   
     
     
         14 . A closet carrier assembly as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the waste pipe chase conduit includes: a right-hand orientation coupling for connecting to a vertical vent pipe; a left-hand orientation coupling for connecting to the vertical vent pipe; and a cap for closing either of the right-hand and left-hand orientation couplings. 
     
     
         15 . A closet carrier assembly as recited in  claim 13 , wherein: the frames are identical: each frame includes at least two threaded bracket mounting bosses; and the hanger bracket forms a plurality of frame mounting holes. 
     
     
         16 . A closet carrier assembly for a wall-mounted toilet assembly, the closet carrier assembly comprising:
 a waste pipe chase conduit having: a first portion forming an inlet; a second portion forming an outlet in fluid with the first portion and extending at an angle from the first portion; a first-orientation threaded stub on the second portion; and a second-orientation threaded stub opposing the first-orientation threaded stub on the second portion;   a first frame including: a first proximal post; a first distal post; and a first top portion connecting the first proximal and distal posts, wherein the first proximal and distal posts and the first top portion form a first opening for the second portion of the waste pipe chase conduit;   a second frame including: a second proximal post; a second distal post; and a second top portion connecting the second proximal and distal posts, wherein the second proximal and distal posts and the second top portion form a second opening for the second portion of the waste pipe chase conduit; and   a hanger bracket selectively extending between: the first frame and the first-orientation threaded stub for supporting the waste pipe chase conduit in a first-orientation wherein the second portion of the waste pipe chase conduit extends through the first opening; or the second frame and the second-orientation threaded stub for supporting the waste pipe chase conduit in a second-orientation wherein the second portion of the waste pipe chase conduit extends through the second opening.   
     
     
         17 . A closet carrier assembly as recited in  claim 16 , wherein: the frames are identical: each frame includes at least two threaded bracket mounting bosses; and the hanger bracket forms a plurality of frame mounting holes. 
     
     
         18 . A closet carrier assembly as recited in  claim 16 , further comprising a nipple connector defining: a nipple inlet configured to couple to a waste pipe of the wall-mounted toilet; and a nipple outlet in fluid communication with the nipple inlet and configured to couple to the inlet of the first portion of the waste pipe chase conduit. 
     
     
         19 . A closet carrier assembly as recited in  claim 16 , further comprising a cross brace extending between the first and second top portions for providing structural support, wherein the cross brace is forms a pathway for passage of a vertical vent pipe connected to the waste pipe chase conduit.