IP Library Granted Patent US 11,613,881
Granted Patent B2
US 11,613,881 · App. 16/793,960 · Granted Mar 28, 2023

Plumbing products kit

Inventors: Jack Nguyen (San Clemente, CA); Justin Storm (Laguna Hills, CA); Michael Lagasse (Laguna Hills, CA); Corinne AndersonSchoepe (San Juan Capistrano, CA); William Martin (San Clemente, CA); Mike Robbins (Eastvale, CA); David McFarland (San Juan Capistrano, CA); Christopher Podolak (Lake Forest, CA)
Assignee: FLUIDMASTER, INC.
E03D1/30B25B13/02B25B13/48B25B23/16
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,613,881
App. No.
16/793,960
Granted
Mar 28, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

This disclosure describes a kit comprising component for removing, replacing, and/or sealing toilet parts. In some embodiments, the kit comprises a flush valve assembly, fill valve assembly, a handle assembly, two tools, two gaskets, and packaging that also serves as one or more water containers. In some embodiments, the two gaskets are two conventional gaskets that can be combined to make a third gasket. In some embodiments, the combination of the two gaskets allows the creation of a synergistic gasket for sealing a tank-to-bowl interface than neither gasket could seal individually.

Claims (205)

1. A toilet kit comprising:

a flush valve assembly, and

a flush valve tool;

wherein the flush valve tool comprises an aperture configured to allow a stem to pass therethrough;

wherein the flush valve tool is configured to rotate a first fastener and a second fastener; and

wherein the first fastener and the second fastener have different diameters.

2. The toilet kit of claim 1 ,

wherein the flush valve tool is configured to rotate the first fastener or the second fastener while the stem passes through the aperture.

3. The toilet kit of claim 2 ,

wherein the first fastener and the second fastener have different inner threaded diameters.

4. The toilet kit of claim 2 ,

wherein the first fastener and the second fastener have different outer diameters.

5. The toilet kit of claim 1 ,

wherein the flush valve tool is configured to rotate the fastener while at least a portion of the fastener is surrounded by an inner wall of a gasket.

6. The toilet kit of claim 1 ,

further comprising a ruler.

7. The toilet kit of claim 6 ,

wherein the ruler is a common, standard ruler.

8. The toilet kit of claim 6 ,

further comprising an instructions sheet/booklet;

wherein the ruler is a likeness of a ruler printed in the instructions sheet/booklet provided with the kit.

9. The toilet kit of claim 6 ,

further comprising packaging material;

wherein the ruler is a likeness of a ruler printed or marked on the packaging material.

10. The toilet kit of claim 6 ,

wherein the ruler is a likeness of a ruler printed or marked on the flush valve tool.

11. A toilet kit comprising:

a fill valve assembly, and

a fill valve tool;

wherein the fill valve tool is configured and arranged to rotate a fastener.

12. The toilet kit of claim 11 ,

wherein the fill valve tool is configured and arranged to rotate different sized fasteners.

13. The toilet kit of claim 12 ,

wherein at least one of the different sized fasteners is a wing nut.

14. The toilet kit of claim 11 ,

wherein the fill valve tool comprises at least one wing slot configured to engage with one or more wings of a wing nut.

15. The toilet kit of claim 14 ,

wherein the fill valve tool is configured to engage the one or more wing nut wings while a stem passes through a fill valve aperture.

16. The toilet kit of claim 11 ,

wherein the fill valve tool comprises an aperture configured and arranged to allow a stem to pass therethrough.

17. The toilet kit of claim 16 ,

wherein the fill valve tool is configured and arranged to rotate the fastener while a stem passes through the aperture.

18. The toilet kit of claim 17 ,

wherein the fill valve tool comprises a socket that comprises the aperture and the at least one wing slot.

19. A toilet kit comprising:

a fill valve assembly,

a flush valve assembly,

a flush valve tool,

a fill valve tool;

wherein the flush valve tool is configured to rotate a flush valve fastener; and

wherein the fill valve tool is configured to rotate a fill valve fastener.

20. The toilet kit of claim 19 ,

wherein the fill valve tool comprises at least one wing slot configured to engage with one or more wings of a wing nut.

21. The toilet kit of claim 20 ,

wherein the flush valve tool is configured to rotate the fastener while at least a portion of the fastener is surrounded by an inner wall of a gasket.

22. The toilet kit of claim 20 ,

wherein the flush valve tool is configured to rotated fasteners of different sizes; and

wherein the fill valve tool is configured to rotated fasteners of different sizes.

23. The toilet kit of claim 19 ,

further comprising a ruler.

24. The toilet kit of claim 23 ,

wherein the ruler is a common, standard ruler.

25. The toilet kit of claim 23 ,

further comprising an instructions sheet/booklet;

wherein the ruler is a likeness of a ruler printed in the instructions sheet/booklet provided with the kit.

26. The toilet kit of claim 23 ,

further comprising packaging material;

wherein the ruler is a likeness of a ruler printed or marked on the packaging material.

27. The toilet kit of claim 23 ,

wherein the ruler is a likeness of a ruler printed or marked on the flush valve tool.

28. The toilet kit of claim 23 ,

wherein the ruler is a likeness of a ruler printed or marked on the fill valve tool.

29. The toilet kit of claim 19 ,

further comprising a first gasket, a second gasket, and a packaging.

30. The toilet kit of claim 29 ,

wherein the packaging is configured and arranged to collect liquid.

31. The toilet kit of claim 30 ,

further comprising a ruler.

32. The toilet kit of claim 31 ,

further comprising a handle assembly.

33. The toilet kit of claim 31 ,

wherein the ruler is a common, standard ruler, or measuring tape.

34. The toilet kit of claim 31 ,

wherein the ruler is a likeness of a ruler printed in a instructions sheet/booklet provided with the toilet kit.

35. The toilet kit of claim 31 ,

wherein the ruler is a likeness of a ruler printed or marked on the packaging material.

36. The toilet kit of claim 30 ,

further comprising a handle assembly.

37. A toilet kit comprising:

a first gasket and a second gasket;

wherein the first gasket is configured and arranged to seal a first tank-to-bowl interface;

wherein the second gasket is configured and arranged to seal a second tank-to-bowl interface;

wherein the first tank-to-bowl interface and/or the second tank-to-bowl interface is a conventional toilet tank-to-bowl interface;

wherein the conventional toilet tank-to-bowl interface is configured and arranged to enable the flow of water from a toilet tank to a toilet bowl during a toilet flush;

wherein the first gasket is configured and arranged to surround the stem of a flush valve; and

wherein the second gasket is configured and arranged to surround the stem of the flush valve; and

wherein the first gasket is configured and arranged to fit inside the second gasket for use as a synergistic gasket.

38. The toilet kit of claim 37 ,

wherein the synergistic gasket is configured and arranged to seal a third tank-to-bowl interface;

wherein the first gasket and/or the second gasket cannot seal the third tank-to-bowl interface individually.

39. A toilet kit comprising:

a first gasket,

a second gasket, and

a packaging.

40. The toilet kit of claim 39 ,

wherein the first gasket and the second gasket are connected to the packaging.

41. The toilet kit of claim 40 ,

wherein the first gasket is configured and arranged to seal a first conventional toilet tank- to-bowl interface; and

wherein the second gasket is configured and arranged to seal a second conventional toilet tank-to-bowl interface; and

wherein the first and second conventional toilet tank-to-bowl interfaces are each configured and arranged to enable the flow of water from a conventional toilet tank to a conventional toilet bowl during a toilet flush.

42. The toilet kit of claim 41 ,

wherein the first gasket is configured and arranged to fit inside the second gasket for use as a synergistic gasket.

43. The toilet kit of claim 42 ,

wherein the synergistic gasket is configured and arranged to seal a third tank-to-bowl interface; and

wherein the first gasket and/or the second gasket cannot seal the third tank-to-bowl interface individually.

44. The toilet kit of claim 39 ,

wherein a first gasket portion of the first gasket is configured and arranged to be surrounded by a second gasket portion of the second gasket.

45. The toilet kit of claim 39 ,

wherein a parameter of a first outer wall of the first gasket is configured to contact the parameter of a second inner wall of the second gasket.

46. The toilet kit of claim 39 ,

wherein a first parameter of a first bottom surface of the first gasket is configured to contact a second parameter of a second lower wall of the second gasket.

47. The toilet kit of claim 39 ,

wherein the packaging is configured and arranged to collect liquid.

48. The toilet kit of claim 39 ,

further comprising a flush valve assembly, and a fill valve assembly.

49. The toilet kit of claim 48 ,

wherein the packaging is configured and arranged to collect liquid.

50. The toilet kit of claim 49 ,

further comprising a ruler.

51. The toilet kit of claim 50 ,

wherein the ruler is a common, standard ruler, or measuring tape.

52. The toilet kit of claim 50 ,

wherein the ruler is a likeness of a ruler printed in the instructions sheet/booklet provided with the toilet kit.

53. The toilet kit of claim 50 ,

wherein the ruler is a likeness of a ruler printed or marked on the packaging.

54. A method of assembling a toilet kit comprising:

providing a first gasket and a second gasket;

connecting the first gasket and the second gasket to a package.

55. The assembly method of claim 54 ,

wherein the first gasket is configured and arranged to seal a first conventional toilet tank-to-bowl interface; and

wherein the second gasket is configured and arranged to seal a second conventional toilet tank-to-bowl interface;

wherein the first gasket cannot seal the second conventional tank-to-bowl interface and/or the second gasket cannot seal the first conventional tank-to-bowl interface

wherein the first and second conventional toilet tank-to-bowl interfaces are each configured and arranged to enable the flow of water from a conventional toilet tank to a conventional toilet bowl during a toilet flush.

56. The assembly method of claim 54 ,

wherein the first gasket is configured and arranged to fit inside the second gasket for use as a synergistic gasket.

57. The assembly method of claim 56 ,

wherein the synergistic gasket is configured and arranged to seal a third tank-to-bowl interface; and

wherein the first gasket and/or the second gasket cannot seal the third tank-to-bowl interface individually.

58. A flush valve tool comprising:

a tool body, and

an aperture surrounded by the tool body;

wherein the flush valve tool is configured to rotate a first fastener while a stem of a flush valve passes through the aperture.

59. The flush valve tool of claim 58 ,

wherein the flush valve tool is configured to rotate the first fastener or a second fastener while the stem of the flush valve passes through the aperture.

60. The flush valve tool of claim 58 ,

wherein the flush valve tool is configured to rotate the first fastener while at least a portion of the fastener is surrounded by an inner wall of a gasket.

61. The flush valve tool of claim 58 ,

further comprising a ruler.

62. The flush valve tool of claim 61 ,

wherein the ruler is a common, standard ruler.

63. A flush valve tool comprising:

a tool body, and

an aperture surrounded by the tool body;

wherein the flush valve tool is configured to rotate the first fastener or a second fastener while the stem of the flush valve passes through the aperture; and

wherein the first fastener and the second fastener have different diameters.

64. The flush valve tool of claim 63 ,

wherein the first fastener and the second fastener have different inner threaded diameters.

65. The flush valve tool of claim 6 ,

wherein the first fastener and the second fastener have different outer diameters.

66. A flush valve tool comprising:

a tool body, and

an aperture surrounded by the tool body;

wherein the flush valve tool is configured to rotate a first fastener while a stem of a flush valve passes through the aperture;

wherein the flush valve tool further comprises a ruler;

wherein the ruler is a common, standard ruler; and

wherein the ruler is a likeness of a ruler printed or marked on a packaging material.

67. A fill valve tool comprising:

a tool body, and

a first aperture surrounded by the tool body;

wherein the fill valve tool is configured and arranged to rotate a first fastener while a stem of a fill valve passes through the aperture.

68. The fill valve tool of claim 67 ,

wherein the fill valve tool is configured to rotate the first fastener or a second fastener while the stem of the flush valve passes through the first aperture; and

wherein the first fastener comprises a different shape than the second fastener.

69. The fill valve tool of claim 68 ,

wherein the first fastener is a hexagonal nut.

70. The fill valve tool of claim 68 ,

wherein the second fastener is a wing nut.

71. The fill valve tool of claim 68 ,

further comprising a second aperture;

wherein the flush valve tool is configured to rotate a third fastener or a fourth fastener while the stem of the flush valve passes through the second aperture; and

wherein the third fastener comprises a different shape than the fourth fastener.

72. The fill valve tool of claim 67 ,

wherein the fill valve tool comprises a socket that comprises the aperture.

73. The fill valve tool of claim 67 ,

wherein the fill valve tool comprises at least one wing slot configured to engage with one or more wings of a wing nut.

74. The fill valve tool of claim 67 ,

further comprising a ruler.

75. The fill valve tool of claim 67 ,

wherein the ruler is a common, standard ruler.

76. A toilet kit comprising:

a flush valve tool,

a fill valve tool, and

a packaging;

wherein the flush valve tool and the fill valve tool are contained in the packaging; and

wherein the packaging is configured and arranged to collect liquid.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 2, 2023
From: FLUIDMASTER, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 064673/0593 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 6, 2023
From: NGUYEN, JACK; STORM, JUSTIN; LAGASSE, MICHAEL; ANDERSONSCHOEPE, CORINNE; MARTIN, WILLIAM; ROBBINS, MIKE; MCFARLAND, DAVID; PODOLAK, CHRISTOPHER
To: FLUIDMASTER, INC.
Reel/Frame 062299/0171 →
Continuity (3)
Provisional Application 62810873 · Feb 26, 2019
Provisional Application 62806554 · Feb 15, 2019
Related Publication 20200263403A1 · Aug 20, 2020
Cited By (2)
US 1,130,687 US 12,365,063