U.S. patent application number 11/444544 was filed with the patent office on 2007-12-06 for toilet aquarium assembly.
Invention is credited to Richard Quintana.
Application Number | 20070277301 11/444544 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38788415 |
Filed Date | 2007-12-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070277301 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Quintana; Richard |
December 6, 2007 |
Toilet aquarium assembly
Abstract
A two-piece toilet aquarium assembly is disclosed. The assembly
is adapted to replace a conventional toilet water tank in an
existing two-piece toilet assembly and comprises a separate
aquarium tank and a toilet water tank adapted to be mounted on a
toilet bowl. The toilet water tank provides water for flushing of
the toilet bowl and includes a push-button that is operably
connected to a toilet flapper flush mechanism. The aquarium tank is
removably coupled to the toilet water tank and defines an interior
space for holding a water reservoir where aquatic creatures,
ornamental objects, a terrarium and the like can be enclosed. A lid
substantially covers the top of the toilet aquarium assembly. The
aquarium tank and toilet water tank are generally transparent.
Inventors: |
Quintana; Richard;
(Westminster, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Robert Nick
POB 3156
Laguna Hills
CA
92654
US
|
Family ID: |
38788415 |
Appl. No.: |
11/444544 |
Filed: |
June 1, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
4/353 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E03D 1/01 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
4/353 |
International
Class: |
E03D 1/00 20060101
E03D001/00 |
Claims
1. A toilet aquarium assembly comprising: aquarium tank means; and
toilet water tank means operatively coupled to a toilet bowl to
provide water for flushing said bowl, said aquarium tank means
removably coupled to said toilet water tank means and separate
therefrom, said aquarium tank means adapted to hold a reservoir for
water, terrariums and the like.
2. The toilet aquarium assembly of claim 1 wherein said toilet
water tank means includes a toilet flushing assembly operative to
fluidly connect said water reservoir to said toilet bowl.
3. The toilet aquarium assembly of claim 2 wherein said toilet
flushing assembly is actuated by a push button.
4. The toilet aquarium assembly of claim 1 wherein said toilet tank
means defines an interior space for holding a toilet water
reservoir, the top of said toilet water tank means having an
opening into said interior space.
5. The toilet aquarium assembly of claim 1 having a top lid
substantially covering the top of said toilet aquarium
assembly.
6. The toilet aquarium assembly of claim 1 wherein said aquarium
tank means is generally transparent.
7. The toilet aquarium assembly of claim 1 wherein said toilet
water tank means is generally transparent.
8. The toilet aquarium assembly of claim 1 wherein said aquarium
tank means is removably coupled to said toilet water tank means
using mounting tab means on said aquarium tank means said mounting
tab means adapted for coupling to mating recesses in said toilet
water tank means.
9. The toilet aquarium assembly of claim 1 wherein said toilet
water tank means is operably coupled to said toilet bowl using
mounting bolts, said mounting bolts having bolt heads adapted to be
slidably inserted into a mounting bolt channel in said toilet water
tank means.
10. The toilet aquarium assembly of claim 1 wherein said aquarium
tank means is configured to wrap around said toilet water tank
means.
11. The toilet aquarium assembly of claim 1 wherein said aquarium
tank means is a one-piece tank.
12. The toilet aquarium assembly of claim 1 wherein said aquarium
tank means includes a replacable filtration assembly.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a toilet tank aquarium
assembly with a detachable aquarium tank.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Two-piece toilet fixtures comprising a toilet bowl and an
attached toilet water tank are found in bathrooms of many
residential structures. From an aesthetic standpoint, a bathroom
toilet fixture is often overlooked and a variety of decorative
techniques have been employed to try to enhance the appearance of a
bathroom by placing an aquarium on or near the toilet fixture.
[0003] U.S. Pat. No. 5,983,411 issued to Demoret, for example,
discloses an aquarium for fish and other creatures that is built
into a toilet water tank.
[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 6,823,537 issued to Cummings, III discloses an
aquarium for aquatic life that is interconnected with the water
supply means in a toilet water tank.
[0005] The toilet aquarium assembly of the present invention
substantially departs from the above aquarium inventions and
provides for a separate aquarium tank that is easily removable from
a toilet water tank to facilitate aquarium cleaning and
maintenance.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of the toilet
aquarium assembly of the invention;
[0007] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the toilet water tank of the
invention;
[0008] FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of the toilet water tank
of the invention; and
[0009] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the aquarium tank of the
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The present invention provides a new toilet tank aquarium
assembly for housing aquatic creatures, terrariums and the like to
enhance the aesthetic appearance of a bathroom toilet fixture.
[0011] The assembly comprises a toilet water tank that can be
operatively coupled to the toilet bowl of a two-piece toilet
fixture and a separate aquarium tank removably attached to the
toilet water tank. The invention is adapted to replace the toilet
water tank of a two-piece toilet fixture.
[0012] With reference to FIG. 1, the toilet tank aquarium assembly
10 of the invention is shown coupled to a toilet bowl 22 and
comprises a separate aquarium tank 12, suitable for housing a water
reservoir or a terrarium and the like, the aquarium tank having one
or more mounting tabs 30 for detachably securing the aquarium tank
to a toilet water tank 14. A removable top lid 16 is adapted to
cover the top of the toilet tank aquarium assembly.
[0013] The toilet water tank defines an interior space 28 for
holding a toilet water reservoir and a toilet flushing assembly 26
that fluidly connects the toilet water reservoir to the toilet
bowl, the top of the toilet water tank having an opening into the
interior space 28.
[0014] A push-button assembly 18 is mounted on the toilet water
tank and is operatively connected to the toilet flushing assembly
such that the toilet flushing assembly may be actuated by the push
button to affect flushing of the toilet bowl. The pushbutton
assembly is easily accessed through an opening 24 in the top lid 16
and is adapted to allow the lid to be easily removed without
causing flushing of the toilet bowl. The lid has a portal 20 for
introducing materials such as nutrients, maintenance chemicals and
the like into the aquarium tank.
[0015] The toilet water tank and the aquarium tank are made of
generally transparent materials so that the water level in the
toilet water tank may be viewed from the outside through the
aquarium tank. As such, fish and other aquatic creatures in the
aquarium tank can appear to float above the receding water level in
the toilet tank when the toilet is flushed.
[0016] With reference to FIG. 2, the top edge 64 of the toilet
water tank 14 has one or more mating recesses 32, adapted to
receive one or more aquarium tank mounting tabs 30 (as shown in
FIGS. 1 and 4) to support the aquarium tank on the toilet water
tank.
[0017] A pushbutton recess 56 on the top edge 64 of the toilet
water tank is adapted to receive and support the pushbutton
assembly 18 by means of a dovetail mounting tab 36. Additional
accessory recesses 38 and 40 can be provided to receive and support
a variety of tank accessories and sensors.
[0018] In an embodiment of the invention, the pushbutton assembly
18 is operationally connected to the toilet flushing assembly 26 by
lever means 50 and lanyard means connected to the toilet tank
flapper portion of the toilet flushing assembly (not shown), well
known in the art. In operation, when the pushbutton is depressed to
flush the toilet bowl, the lever means raises the flapper to open
the toilet water tank discharge pipe 60 (as shown in FIG. 3) and
permit water in the toilet tank to empty into the toilet bowl. A
water inlet valve pipe 62 (shown in FIG. 3), coupled to the toilet
flushing assembly, is adapted to fill the toilet water tank
reservoir as is well known in the art.
[0019] A mounting bolt channel 54, adapted to slidably receive
toilet water tank mounting bolts 52, is recessed in the bottom
surface 66 of the toilet water tank, as is more fully represented
in FIG. 3.
[0020] With reference to FIG. 3, the toilet water tank 14 is
coupled to a toilet bowl by means of toilet water tank mounting
bolts 52, each bolt having a head 58 adapted to be slidably
inserted into the mounting bolt channel 54. As such, the toilet
water tank can be coupled to different toilet bowl
configurations.
[0021] With reference to FIG. 4, an embodiment of the aquarium tank
12 of the invention is shown. The aquarium tank is adapted to be
removably coupled to a toilet water tank by means of aquarium tank
mounting tabs 30 (as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4). The tabs are
configured to readily engage the toilet water tank recesses 32 in
the top edge 64 of the toilet water tank 14 (as shown in FIG. 2) to
support the aquarium on the toilet water tank.
[0022] The embodiment shown reflects a separate aquarium tank
configured to wrap around the toilet tank and be easily removable
therefrom. The aquarium tank has a one-piece construction with an
interior space 34 suitable for housing a water reservoir or
terrarium and the like and can be fabricated with acrylic material
using an injection molding process.
[0023] In addition, the aquarium tank can be configured with a
replacable filtration assembly 42 to enable the aquarium to be
filled with water without removing the aquarium from the toilet
tank.
[0024] The above description is considered as illustrative only of
the principles of the invention. Accordingly, although the various
features of novelty that characterize the invention have been
described in terms of certain preferred embodiments, other
embodiments will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the
art, in view of the disclosure herein. As such, the present
invention is not limited by the recitation of the preferred
embodiments, but is instead intended to be defined solely by
reference to the appended claims.
* * * * *