IP Library › Granted Patent US 12674308
Granted Patent B2
US 12674308 · App. 18/502,574 · Granted Jul 7, 2026

Cistern system, apparatus and method

Inventors: Tuan Van Le (Fountain Valley, CA); Joseph U. Han (Irvine, CA); Leland Wong (Costa Mesa, CA); Gabriel Wong (Irvine, CA); Jack Nguyen (San Clemente, CA); Daniel McAuley (Irvine, CA); Matjaž Smerdel (Pivka, SI); Henk Garst (Arnhem, NL); Gregor Deurič (Postojna, SI); Bart van der Velden (Arnhem, NL); Andrej Kobal (Ljubljana, SI)
Assignee: FLUIDMASTER, INC.
E03D1/34
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12674308
App. No.
18/502,574
Granted
Jul 7, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A cistern system enables maintenance, removal, or adjustment of various components through a maintenance window. The cistern system includes screen support members that cooperate with a flush valve to remove fallen components. The cistern system includes a frame with an adjustable upper bar that can be removed to facilitate the installation of various components. The frame includes a bar holder fastener that enables vertical leveling when the frame is secured to a wall with one or more wall mounts. The frame includes adjustable frame supports that can be fixed in position by frame height adjusters when only supporting the weight of the cistern system but can be adjusted in and out of the frame by applying additional downward force to the frame.

Claims (52)

1 . A cistern system comprising:

a frame,

a cistern assembly, and

a discharge assembly;

wherein the cistern assembly and the discharge assembly are coupled to the frame;

wherein the discharge assembly is configured to couple to a toilet;

wherein the cistern assembly is configured to couple to the discharge assembly;

wherein the cistern assembly comprises one or more adjustable components;

wherein the cistern assembly comprises a maintenance window; and

wherein the maintenance window is configured to enable an adjustment of at least a portion of each of the one or more adjustable components.

2 . The cistern system of claim 1 ,

wherein the cistern assembly comprises a flush valve assembly, a fill valve assembly, a fluid supply assembly, an actuation assembly, and a flowrate valve.

3 . The cistern system of claim 2 ,

wherein the cistern system is configured to enable at least a portion of the flush valve assembly, the fill valve assembly, the fluid supply assembly, the actuation assembly, and the flowrate valve are visible through the maintenance window.

4 . The cistern system of claim 2 ,

wherein the one or more adjustable components comprise a flush timer at least partially housed within the flush valve assembly;

wherein the flush timer comprises a timing knob;

wherein the timing knob is configured to control the release of a flush tube from the flush valve assembly;

wherein the flush tube is configured to seat against the flowrate valve to seal a tank outlet; and

wherein the cistern system is configured to enable the timing knob to be visible when looking through the maintenance window along a horizontal axis.

5 . The cistern system of claim 2 ,

wherein the one or more adjustable components comprise a fill valve seal within the fill valve assembly;

wherein the fill valve assembly comprises a service cap configured to enable access and/or removal of the fill valve seal; and

wherein the cistern system is configured to enable the service cap to be visible when looking through the maintenance window along a horizontal axis.

6 . The cistern system of claim 2 ,

wherein the one or more adjustable components comprise a flowrate valve adjuster coupled to the flowrate valve;

wherein the flowrate valve adjuster is configured to limit and/or increase a fluid flowrate through a tank outlet; and

wherein the cistern system is configured to enable the flowrate valve adjuster to be visible when looking through the maintenance window along a horizontal axis.

7 . The cistern system of claim 2 ,

wherein the flush valve assembly is configured to be removed from the cistern assembly through the maintenance window.

8 . The cistern system of claim 2 ,

wherein the fill valve assembly is configured to be removed from the cistern assembly through the maintenance window.

9 . The cistern system of claim 2 ,

wherein the fluid supply assembly is configured to be removed from the cistern assembly through the maintenance window.

10 . The cistern system of claim 2 ,

wherein the actuation assembly is configured to be removed from the cistern assembly through the maintenance window.

11 . The cistern system of claim 2 ,

wherein the flowrate valve is configured to be removed from the cistern assembly through the maintenance window.

12 . The cistern system of claim 2 ,

further comprising a dosing assembly;

wherein at least a portion of the dosing assembly is configured to be removed from the cistern assembly through the maintenance window.

13 . The cistern system of claim 4 ,

wherein the flush tube is configured to be removed from the cistern assembly through the maintenance window.

14 . The cistern system of claim 4 ,

wherein the flowrate valve comprises a flexible handle accessible through the maintenance window; and

wherein the cistern assembly comprises a fluid tank;

wherein the flowrate valve is configured to retrieve a component that has fallen to a bottom of the fluid tank by pulling at least a portion of the flexible handle through the maintenance window.

15 . The cistern system of claim 14 ,

wherein the cistern assembly comprises a fill member and a dosing member;

wherein the fill member comprises a fill support structure comprising one or more openings configured to enable fluid to flow laterally within the fluid tank at any fluid level;

wherein the dosing member comprises a dosing support structure comprising one or more openings configured to enable fluid to flow laterally within the fluid tank at any fluid level; and

wherein the fill support structure and the dosing support structure are each configured to prevent the component that has fallen to the bottom of the tank from falling off the flowrate valve when the flexible handle is being pulled through the maintenance window.