Toilet coupling

Abstract

A toilet that includes a tank; a bowl; a mounting bracket comprising a base and three mounting locations; a valve having a valve body extending through the tank and an opening in the mounting bracket; a valve nut coupled to the valve body with the base of the mounting bracket retained between the tank and the valve nut; a flexible gasket disposed around the valve nut between the mounting bracket and the bowl; and three fasteners disposed externally to the tank, wherein each fastener extends through one mounting location and a hole in the bowl to couple the mounting bracket to the bowl; where the three mounting locations are arranged to provide both a pitch adjustment and a roll adjustment of the tank relative to the bowl about respective first and second axes m response to adjustment of one or more of the three fasteners.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A mounting bracket for coupling a tank and a bowl of a toilet, the mounting bracket comprising:
 an inlet opening;   a first fastener on a rearward side of the inlet opening;   a second fastener on a forward side of the inlet opening; and   a third fastener on the forward side of the inlet opening,   wherein an angle of the tank with respect to the bowl is adjustable using a combination of at least two fasteners selected from the first fastener, the second fastener, and the third fastener.   
     
     
         2 . The mounting bracket of  claim 1 , wherein the angle of the tank with respect to the bowl includes a pitch of the tank. 
     
     
         3 . The mounting bracket of  claim 1 , wherein the angle of the tank with respect to the bowl includes a roll of the tank. 
     
     
         4 . The mounting bracket of  claim 1 , wherein the combination of the at least two fasteners includes the first fastener and the second fastener. 
     
     
         5 . The mounting bracket of  claim 1 , wherein the combination of the at least two fasteners includes the second fastener and the third fastener. 
     
     
         6 . The mounting bracket of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a valve configured to connect an inlet of the bowl with an outlet of the tank, the valve comprising a valve body extending through the outlet.   
     
     
         7 . The mounting bracket of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a valve nut coupled to the valve body.   
     
     
         8 . The mounting bracket of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a flexible gasket disposed around the valve nut between the mounting bracket and the bowl.   
     
     
         9 . The mounting bracket of  claim 1 , wherein the angle of the tank with respect to the bowl is about a lateral axis or a fore and aft axis. 
     
     
         10 . The mounting bracket of  claim 1 , wherein the first fastener, the second fastener, and the third fastener are arranged in a triangular pattern around the inlet opening. 
     
     
         11 . A toilet comprising:
 a tank;   a bowl;   a mounting bracket comprising:
 an inlet opening; 
 a first fastener on a rearward side of the inlet opening; 
 a second fastener on a forward side of the inlet opening; and 
 a third fastener on the forward side of the inlet opening, 
 wherein an angle of the tank with respect to the bowl is adjustable using a combination of at least two fasteners selected from the first fastener, the second fastener, and the third fastener. 
   
     
     
         12 . The toilet of  claim 11 , wherein the angle of the tank with respect to the bowl includes a pitch of the tank. 
     
     
         13 . The toilet of  claim 11 , wherein the angle of the tank with respect to the bowl includes a roll of the tank. 
     
     
         14 . The toilet of  claim 11 , wherein the combination of the at least two fasteners includes the first fastener and the second fastener. 
     
     
         15 . The toilet of  claim 11 , wherein the combination of the at least two fasteners includes the second fastener and the third fastener. 
     
     
         16 . The toilet of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a valve configured to connect an inlet of the bowl with an outlet of the tank, the valve comprising a valve body extending through the outlet.   
     
     
         17 . The toilet of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a valve nut coupled to the valve body.   
     
     
         18 . The toilet of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a flexible gasket disposed around the valve nut between the mounting bracket and the bowl.   
     
     
         19 . The toilet of  claim 11 , wherein the angle of the tank with respect to the bowl is about a lateral axis or a fore and aft axis. 
     
     
         20 . A mounting bracket for coupling a tank and a bowl of a toilet, the mounting bracket comprising:
 an inlet opening;   a first fastener on a rearward side of the inlet opening;   a second fastener on a forward side of the inlet opening; and   wherein an angle of the tank with respect to the bowl is adjustable using a combination the first fastener and the second fastener.