Toilet sub-assembly with multiple waste tube coupling positions

Abstract

A toilet sub-assembly including a toilet base and at least two waste tube couplings. The toilet base includes a bowl supported by a housing and having an upper lip and a bowl outlet that is configured for connecting to one of the two waste tube couplings. Each of the waste tube couplings has a configuration defining a different position, relative to the housing, for a waste outlet connecting end when the waste tube coupling is attached to the waste conduit.

I/We claim: 
     
         1 . A toilet sub-assembly comprising:
 a toilet base including a bowl having an upper lip and a lower wall defining a sump and a bowl outlet, the toilet base also including a waste conduit connected at a first end to the sump through the bowl outlet for the discharging of water and waste from the bowl, the waste conduit having a second end distal to the first end; and   at least two waste tube couplings, each of the waste tube couplings having a conduit connecting end and a waste outlet connecting end, the conduit connecting end being configured for attachment to the second end of the waste conduit, each of the waste tube couplings having a configuration defining a different positioning of the waste outlet connecting end relative to the conduit connecting end when attached to the waste conduit.   
     
     
         2 . The toilet sub-assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each of the waste tube couplings includes a rigid tube member. 
     
     
         3 . The toilet sub-assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the second ends of the waste tube couplings are configured for connecting to the second end of the waste conduit through a pipe coupling. 
     
     
         4 . The toilet sub-assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the pipe coupling is a flexible pipe coupling. 
     
     
         5 . The toilet sub-assembly of  claim 1 , wherein one of the waste tube couplings is connected to the second end of the waste conduit. 
     
     
         6 . A toilet sub-assembly comprising:
 a toilet base including a bowl having an upper lip and a lower wall defining a sump and a bowl outlet, the toilet base also including a waste conduit connected at a first end to the sump through the bowl outlet for the discharging of water and waste from the bowl, the waste conduit having a second end distal to the first end; and   at least two waste tube couplings, each of the waste tube couplings having a conduit connecting end and a waste outlet connecting end, the conduit connecting end being configured for attachment to the second end of the waste conduit, each of the waste tube couplings having a configuration defining a different positioning of the waste outlet connecting end relative to the bowl when attached to the waste conduit.   
     
     
         7 . The toilet sub-assembly of  claim 6 , wherein each of the waste tube couplings includes a rigid tube member. 
     
     
         8 . The toilet sub-assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the second ends of the waste tube couplings are configured for connecting to the second end of the waste conduit through a pipe coupling. 
     
     
         9 . The toilet sub-assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the pipe coupling is a flexible pipe coupling. 
     
     
         10 . The toilet sub-assembly of  claim 6 , wherein one of the waste tube couplings is connected to the second end of the waste conduit. 
     
     
         11 . A toilet sub-assembly comprising:
 a toilet base including a bowl having an upper lip and a lower wall defining a sump and a bowl outlet, a housing supporting the bowl, and a waste conduit connected at a first end to the sump through the bowl outlet for the discharging of water and waste from the bowl, the waste conduit having a second end distal to the first end; and   at least two waste tube couplings, each of the waste tube couplings having a conduit connecting end and a waste outlet connecting end, the conduit connecting end being configured for attachment to the second end of the waste conduit, each of the waste tube couplings having a configuration defining a different positioning of the waste outlet connecting end relative to the housing when attached to the waste conduit.   
     
     
         12 . The toilet sub-assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the housing includes a plurality of mounting features, the plurality of mounting features defining different mounting locations along the housing for connecting of the waste tube couplings to the housing. 
     
     
         13 . The toilet sub-assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the mounting features are a plurality of mounting bores defined through the housing. 
     
     
         14 . The toilet sub-assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the mounting bores are defining through a bottom flange of the housing. 
     
     
         15 . The toilet sub-assembly of  claim 13 , further comprising a mounting bracket connected to one or more of the mounting features, the mounting bracket being repositionable relative to the housing by connecting of the mounting bracket to different ones of the mounting features. 
     
     
         16 . The toilet sub-assembly of  claim 11 , wherein each of the waste tube couplings includes a rigid tube member. 
     
     
         17 . The toilet sub-assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the second ends of the waste tube couplings are configured for connecting to the second end of the waste conduit through a pipe coupling. 
     
     
         18 . The toilet sub-assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the pipe coupling is a flexible pipe coupling. 
     
     
         19 . The toilet sub-assembly of  claim 11 , wherein one of the waste tube couplings is connected at its conduit connecting end to the second end of the waste conduit and at its waste outlet connecting end to the housing. 
     
     
         20 . A toilet sub-assembly comprising:
 a toilet base including a bowl having an upper lip and a lower wall defining a sump and a bowl outlet, the toilet base including a waste conduit connected to the bowl outlet for the discharging of water and waste from the bowl; and   at least two waste tube couplings having a conduit connecting end and a waste outlet connecting end, the conduit connecting end being configured for attachment to an end of the waste conduit, each of the waste tube couplings having a configuration defining a different rough-in dimension for an assembled toilet incorporating the waste tube coupling.   
     
     
         21 . The toilet sub-assembly of  claim 20 , wherein one of the at least two waste tube couplings has a configuration defining a standard rough-in dimension of about 12 inches. 
     
     
         22 . The toilet sub-assembly of  claim 20 , wherein one of the at least two waste tube couplings has a configuration defining a non-standard rough-in dimension greater than 12 inches. 
     
     
         23 . The toilet sub-assembly of  claim 20 , wherein one of the at least two waste tube couplings has a configuration defining a non-standard rough-in dimension less than 12 inches. 
     
     
         24 . The toilet sub-assembly of  claim 20 , wherein one of the at least two waste tube couplings has a configuration defining a rough-in dimension for a wall outlet.