Toilet flanges and the mounting thereof

Abstract

An improved flange that provides simple and time saving installation of a toilet fixture. The flange includes an annular ring that defines at least one aperture adapted to receive a connector for attaching the flange to the floor and at least one mounting bolt rigidly and permanently affixed to the annular ring, the mounting bolt extending upwardly from the annular ring and being adapted to pass through at least one mounting aperture of the toilet. The flange is adapted for use in originally attaching the toilet to the floor or in repairing or extending existing flanges. In one embodiment, the flange is used in combination with a one-piece mounting cap that removes the need for separate washers and nuts.

1 . A flange for mounting a toilet to a surface, the toilet including a base portion defining at least one mounting aperture, the flange comprising: 
 an annular ring defining at least one aperture adapted to receive a connector for attaching the flange to the floor;    at least one mounting bolt rigidly and permanently affixed to the annular ring, the at least one mounting bolt extending upwardly from the annular ring and being adapted to pass through at least one mounting aperture of the toilet.    
   
   
       2 . The flange of  claim 1 , wherein the surface is a floor proximate at least one wall of a room, the flange further comprising one or more alignment indicia disposed on the annular ring to facilitate positioning of the annular ring such that the toilet is mounted in a predetermined angular orientation relative to the at least one wall.  
   
   
       3 . The flange of  claim 1 , further comprising a drain spout.  
   
   
       4 . The flange of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one one-piece toilet bowl mounting cap, the toilet bowl mounting cap including a decorative outer surface and a threaded, recessed inner surface, and adapted to be engaged by the at least one mounting bolt to secure the base portion of the toilet to the flange.  
   
   
       5 . The flange of  claim 4 , wherein an external surface of the at least one mounting bolt is threaded.  
   
   
       6 . The flange of  claim 1 , wherein the surface is an existing toilet mounting flange mounted to a floor and wherein the at least one aperture is adapted to receive a connector for attaching the flange to the existing toilet mounting flange and the floor.  
   
   
       7 . The flange of  claim 6  wherein the floor is proximate to at least one wall of a room, the flange further comprising one or more alignment indicia disposed on the annular ring to facilitate positioning of the annular ring such that the toilet is mounted in a predetermined angular orientation relative to the at least one wall.  
   
   
       8 . A repair flange adapted to overlay a broken toilet flange and to secure a toilet to a floor, the broken toilet flange positioned between the toilet and the floor, the toilet including a base portion defining at least one mounting aperture, the repair flange comprising: 
 an annular ring having one or more mounting tabs that each define a tab aperture, wherein each tab aperture is adapted to receive a connector for attaching the repair flange to a floor; and    at least one mounting bolt rigidly and permanently affixed to the annular ring, the at least one mounting bolt extending upwardly from the annular ring and being adapted to pass through at least one mounting aperture of the toilet.    
   
   
       9 . The repair flange of  claim 8 , wherein the tab apertures are attached to an outside periphery of the annular ring.  
   
   
       10 . The repair flange of  claim 8 , the broken toilet flange having an annular ring that defines one or more apertures, the repair flange further defining one or more apertures that coincide with the one or more apertures of the broken toilet flange.  
   
   
       11 . The repair flange of  claim 8 , further comprising at least one one-piece toilet bowl mounting cap, the toilet bowl mounting cap adapted to be mated with the at least one mounting bolt to secure the base portion of the toilet to the flange.  
   
   
       12 . The flange of  claim 11 , wherein an external surface of the at least one mounting bolt is threaded and wherein an internal surface of the one-piece toilet bowl mounting cap is threaded.  
   
   
       13 . A flange for extending a thickness of an existing toilet mounting flange, the existing toilet mounting flange positioned between a base portion of a toilet and a floor, the flange comprising: 
 an annular ring defining at least one aperture adapted to receive a connector for attaching the flange to the existing toilet mounting flange and the floor; and    at least one mounting bolt rigidly and permanently affixed to the annular ring, the at least one mounting bolt extending upwardly from the annular ring and being adapted to pass through at least one mounting aperture of the toilet.    
   
   
       14 . The flange of  claim 13 , further comprising at least one one-piece toilet bowl mounting cap, the toilet bowl mounting cap adapted to be mated with the at least one mounting bolt to secure the base portion of the toilet to the flange.  
   
   
       15 . The flange of  claim 14 , wherein an external surface of the at least one mounting bolt is threaded and wherein an internal surface of the one-piece toilet bowl mounting cap is threaded.