US 12,359,418 B2
Method of mounting a toilet and sealing assembly used in performing the method
Michael J. Schuster, Shorewood, IL (US)
Assigned to M3WE, Inc., Shorewood, IL (US)
Filed by M3WE, Inc., Shorewood, IL (US)
Filed on May 10, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/740,659.
Prior Publication US 2023/0366191 A1, Nov. 16, 2023
Int. Cl. E03D 11/16 (2006.01); F16J 15/02 (2006.01)
CPC E03D 11/16 (2013.01) [F16J 15/022 (2013.01)] 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of mounting a toilet with a discharge horn with respect to an upwardly facing support surface at which there is an exposed inlet on a drain pipe and a closet collar with a flange fixed with respect to the support surface and extending around the drain pipe inlet as viewed from above, the fixed flange having a vertical axis, an upper surface and an annular surface portion extending to below the upper flange surface, the upper flange surface transitioning to the annular surface portion at an outside annular corner, the method comprising the steps of:
obtaining a sealing assembly including a sleeve having a body with an axis, the sleeve body having: a) a top and bottom spaced from each other in an axial direction; b) a radially outwardly projecting mounting flange with an axially downwardly facing surface; c) a top horn engaging region; and d) an annular force transmission region;
placing the sleeve body in a starting position and a starting state wherein: a) the axis of the sleeve body is generally aligned with the axis of the closet collar flange; and b) the axially downwardly facing surface on the radially outwardly projecting mounting flange extends across, and to radially inside of, the outside annular corner on the closet collar;
with the toilet horn aligned over the axis of the fixed closet collar flange, lowering the toilet towards the support surface to thereby cause: a) the toilet horn to initially contact the horn engaging region of the sleeve body; b) the toilet to progressively axially compress the force transmission region of the sleeve body; and c) the compressing force transmission region to cause a part of the radially projecting mounting flange to be drawn downwardly as an incident of which an annular region of the axially downwardly facing surface on the radially outwardly projecting mounting flange is forcibly wrapped against the outside corner on the closet collar.