Toilet actuating mechanism

Abstract

The combination of a bowl for human waste and a water tank. A valve assembly controls communication of water from the tank to the bowl. An actuating mechanism changes the state of the valve assembly. The actuating mechanism has an actuator with a cantilevered portion engageable by a user and movable between first and second positions to change the state of the actuating mechanism. The cantilevered portion projects at least one of: a) to above the top of the tank; b) across the front of the tank to beyond one of the sides of the tank; c) along one of the sides of the tank to beyond the front wall of the tank; and d) forwardly at one of the sides, with the cantilevered portion in one of the first and second positions.

1 . In combination:
 a bowl for containing a quantity of human waste material;   a tank configured to contain a volume of flowable material,   the tank having a top, a front wall, and spaced sides;   a valve assembly changeable between open and closed states,   the valve assembly in the open state allowing flowable material from the tank to flow into the bowl,   the valve assembly in the closed state blocking flow of flowable material in the tank to the bowl; and   an actuating mechanism having a starting state and an actuated state,   the actuating mechanism configured to change the valve assembly from the closed state into the open state as an incident of changing the actuating mechanism from the starting state into the actuated state,   the actuating mechanism comprising an actuator with a cantilevered portion that is engageable by a user and movable from a first position into a second position as an incident of which the actuating mechanism is changed from the starting state into the actuated state,   the cantilevered portion projecting at least one of: a) to above the top of the tank; b) a distance across the front of the tank to beyond one of the sides of the tank; c) over a distance across one of the sides of the tank and to beyond the front wall of the tank; and d) forwardly at one of the sides of the tank with the cantilevered portion in at least one of the first and second positions.   
     
     
         2 . The combination according to  claim 1  wherein the actuating mechanism comprises at least one link member with a portion that extends through the tank and pivots around an axis as the cantilevered portion moves between the first and second position. 
     
     
         3 . The combination according to  claim 2  wherein the axis extends in a fore-and-aft direction. 
     
     
         4 . The combination according to  claim 3  wherein the axis extends through the front wall of the tank. 
     
     
         5 . The combination according to  claim 1  wherein the valve assembly and actuating mechanism are configured so that: a) the actuating mechanism changes from the actuated state into the starting state; and b) the cantilevered portion is caused to move from the second position into the first position, as an incident of the valve assembly changing from the open state into the closed state. 
     
     
         6 . The combination according to  claim 1  wherein at least a part of the cantilevered portion is configured to simulate an appearance of an identifiable object. 
     
     
         7 . The combination according to  claim 1  wherein the actuating mechanism further comprises a detectable signal generator and an actuator for the detectable signal generator that sends an actuating signal to the signal generator as an incident of the cantilevered portion moving from the first position into the second position. 
     
     
         8 . The combination according to  claim 7  wherein a signal generated by the detectable signal generator is an audible signal. 
     
     
         9 . The combination according to  claim 7  wherein a signal generated by the detectable signal generator is a visible signal. 
     
     
         10 . The combination according to  claim 2  wherein at least a part of the cantilevered portion projects upwardly relative to the axis. 
     
     
         11 . The combination according to  claim 2  wherein at least a part of the cantilevered portion extends to at least four inches away from the axis. 
     
     
         12 . The combination according to  claim 2  wherein at least a part of the cantilevered portion extends to at least six inches away from the axis. 
     
     
         13 . The combination according to  claim 2  wherein the at least one link member has a first leg extending through the tank and a distance away from the tank and the cantilevered portion has a second leg projecting angularly away from the first leg and a part that projects away from the second leg at a distance spaced from the first leg. 
     
     
         14 . The combination according to  claim 13  wherein the second leg has an angled offset and the part of the cantilevered portion extends away from the angled offset. 
     
     
         15 . The combination according to  claim 14  wherein the first leg extends through the front wall of the tank and the angled offset projects rearwardly from the second leg. 
     
     
         16 . The combination according to  claim 1  wherein a part of the cantilevered portion is removably connected to another part of the cantilevered portion and releasably maintained on the another part of the cantilevered portion without requiring use of separate fasteners. 
     
     
         17 . The combination according to  claim 16  wherein the cantilevered portion is a first unit and further in combination with a second unit that is different than the first unit, the first and second units interchangeably connectable to the another part of the actuating mechanism. 
     
     
         18 . The combination according to  claim 1  wherein the cantilevered portion is configured to be engageable by a user's hand extending fully around a part of the cantilevered portion to effect grasping of the part of the cantilevered portion. 
     
     
         19 . The combination according to  claim 7  further comprising a battery on the actuating mechanism for operating the detectable signal generator. 
     
     
         20 . The combination according to  claim 1  wherein the valve assembly comprises a movable flapper having at least a portion that is raised and lowered with the valve assembly respectively in the open and closed states. 
     
     
         21 . The combination according to  claim 1  wherein the cantilevered portion extends over the distance across the front of the tank and to at least three inches beyond the one of the sides of the tank.