Vacuum breaker

1. A vacuum breaker for use with a flush valve assembly, the vacuum breaker comprising:

a flow control insert;

a substantially cylindrical tubular body having a first end and a second end, the first end having a rim extending away from the body and a ledge extending axially away from the rim, each of said rim and said ledge having an inner surface, wherein the rim and ledge define an L-shaped profile wherein the flow control insert is releasably seated adjacent to said inner surface of said rim and said inner surface of said ledge, said ledge having a top surface located one of substantially within or slightly below the plane of a top surface of the flow control insert such that the top surface edge portions of the flow control insert are exposed;

a retainer bead positioned at the first end of said body and extending axially away from said inner surface of said ledge, wherein an inner circumferential surface of said retainer bead contacts an outer peripheral edge of said flow control insert, whereby the peripheral edge is defined as an edge surface bridging a top and bottom circumferential surface of said flow control insert, thereby providing a friction fit between the flow control insert and the ledge, whereby the peripheral edge of the flow control insert squeezes said retainer bead flush against the inner surface of the ledge, and a planar top surface of said flow control insert extends above a top surface of said retainer bead, whereby said flow control insert is releasably attached to said body; and

a plurality of lip seals positioned at the second end of the body, wherein each lip seal defines a slit therein for allowing the passage of water through the vacuum breaker.

2. The vacuum breaker as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each slit comprises a hinged member at an end thereof.

3. The vacuum breaker as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the hinged member is in the shape of a hole.

4. The vacuum breaker as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the body is made of a unitary piece of material.

5. The vacuum breaker as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the body comprises an elastomeric material.

6. The vacuum breaker as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the body comprises silicone.

7. The vacuum breaker as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the retainer bead is integrally attached to the inner surface of the ledge of the body of the vacuum breaker.

8. The vacuum breaker as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the flow control insert comprises a substantially flat disc-shaped body defining a peripheral edge, the disc-shaped body defining a plurality of circumferentially-spaced openings therein for allowing the water to flow therethrough.

9. The vacuum breaker as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the plurality of openings in the flow control insert are circular, pie-shaped or any combination thereof.

10. The vacuum breaker as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the flow control insert comprises a polymeric material.

11. The vacuum breaker as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the flow control insert is constructed from a different material than the body of the vacuum breaker.

12. A vacuum breaker assembly comprising:

an outlet tube having circumferentially-spaced air openings therein;

a vacuum breaker having a substantially cylindrical tubular body positioned inside the outlet tube, the vacuum breaker body having a first end and a second end, the first end having a rim extending away from the body and a ledge extending axially away from the rim said ledge having a top surface, wherein the rim and ledge define an L-shaped profile adapted to receive a flow control insert, the second end of the body having a plurality of lip seals, wherein each lip seal defines a slit therein;

a flow control insert having a body and a top surface and defining a plurality of circumferentially-spaced openings therein, the insert releasably seated on the rim of the vacuum breaker body such that the top surface of the flow control insert is within the same plane or slightly above the plane of the top surface of the ledge such that the top surface edge portions of the flow control insert are exposed, wherein the first end of the vacuum breaker is adapted to attach to a flush valve; and

a retainer bead positioned at the first end of said body and extending axially away from an inner surface of said ledge, wherein an inner circumferential surface of said retainer bead contacts an outer peripheral edge of said flow control insert, whereby the peripheral edge is defined as an edge surface bridging a top and bottom circumferential surface of said flow control insert, thereby providing a friction fit between the flow control insert and the ledge whereby the peripheral edge of the flow control insert squeezes said retainer bead flush against the inner surface of the ledge, and a planar top surface of said flow control insert extends above a top surface of said retainer bead, whereby said flow control insert is releasably attached to said body.

13. The vacuum breaker assembly as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the flow control insert comprises a substantially flat disc-shaped body defining a peripheral edge, wherein the plurality of openings in the flow control insert are circular, pie-shaped or any combination thereof.

14. The vacuum breaker assembly as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the slit in each lip seal comprises a hinged member at an end thereof.

15. The vacuum breaker assembly as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the hinged member is in the shape of a hole.

16. A method of assembling a vacuum breaker assembly for use in a flush valve assembly, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing an outlet tube having circumferentially-spaced air openings therein;

b) installing a vacuum breaker having a substantially cylindrical tubular body inside the outlet tube, the vacuum breaker body having a first end and a second end, the first end having a rim extending away from the body and a ledge extending axially away from the rim, said ledge having a top surface and wherein the rim and ledge define an L-shaped profile, a retainer bead extending axially away from an inner surface of the ledge toward the vacuum breaker body, wherein the retainer bead is adapted to provide a friction fit for releasably attaching a flow control insert to the first end of the body of the vacuum breaker, the second end of the body having a plurality of lip seals, wherein each lip seal defines a slit therein;

c) placing said flow control insert having a substantially flat disc-shaped body on the rim between the inner surface of the ledge on the first end of the vacuum breaker body such that an inner circumferential surface of said retainer bead contacts an outer peripheral edge of said flow control insert, whereby the peripheral edge is defined as an edge surface bridging a top and bottom circumferential surface of said flow control insert, thereby providing a friction fit between the flow control insert and the ledge by squeezing said retainer bead flush against the ledge, thereby releasably attaching the flow control insert to the vacuum breaker, a planar top surface of said flow control insert extends above a top surface of said retainer bead, said top surface of the flow control insert being within the same plane or slightly above the plane of the top surface of the ledge so that the top surface edge portions of the flow control insert are exposed; and

d) attaching the first end of the vacuum breaker along with an end of the outlet tube to a lower section of a flush valve.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the slit in each lip seal comprises a hinged member at an end thereof.