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(11) | EP 0 444 355 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Hinge assembly for toilet seat fixing |
| (57) A hinge assembly (1) for releasably fixing a toilet seat (2, 2') and optionally a
toilet lid (3) to a toilet bowl comprises a hinge post (4) for mounting on the toilet
bowl comprising a base (6) having an aperture (7) therein, and two sidewalls (8, 9)
each projecting upwardly from the base (6), at least one of the sidewalls (8, 9) having
a ledge (10, 11,) on its inner surface and a hinge rod (5) having a head portion (16)
and a rod portion (17) adapted to pivotally mate with the toilet seat (2, 2') and
with the lid (3) if present, the head portion (16) comprising two arms (18, 19) joined
at one end by a bridging portion (20) and spaced apart such that the arms (18, 19)
are parallel with each other, and the rod portion (17) being fixed between and protruding
from the arms (18, 19). |
[0001] This invention relates to a hinge assembly for fixing a toilet seat, and optionally a toilet lid to a toilet bowl.
[0002] According to the invention there is provided a hinge assembly for releasably fixing a toilet seat and optionally a toilet lid to a toilet bowl the hinge assembly comprising:-
(1) a hinge post for mounting on the toilet bowl comprising a base having an aperture therein, and two sidewalls each projecting upwardly from the base, at least one of the sidewalls having a ledge on its inner surface and
(2) a hinge rod having a head portion and a rod portion adapted to pivotally mate with the toilet seat and with the lid if present, the head portion comprising two arms joined at one end by a bridging portion and spaced apart such that the arms are parallel with each other, and the rod portion being fixed between and protruding from the arms.
[0003] In use a pair of the hinge posts is located on the rear of the toilet bowl so that the sidewalls of the posts face towards the front and rear of the bowl and mounted on the toilet bowl by means of screws passing through the apertures in the bases of the hinge posts. The aperture in the hinge post base is preferably an elongate slot because such an aperture allows location of the hinge post to be adjusted laterally to suit different toilet bowl and toilet seat designs.
[0004] A hinge rod is gripped by its head portion and inserted in the hinge post so that one of the arms of the head portion is located on the ledge on the inside of the hinge post, and the rod portion protrudes out of the hinge post, and the rod portions of the two hinge assemblies are then inserted into apertured lugs on the rear of a toilet seat, and optionally into the apertured lugs of a toilet lid. The toilet seat, and toilet lid if fitted can then be rotated about the rod portions of the hinge rods to that they can be in the up or down position.
[0005] In order to make the assembly more stable it is desirable that both sidewalls of the hinge post have a ledge on their inner surface so that the head portion of the hinge rod can be located on both ledges. In a preferred embodiment both sidewalls of the hinge post have two ledges on their inner surface, spaced apart by a distance slightly greater than the thickness of the arms of the head portion of the hinge rod. One arm of the head portion of the hinge rod can then be located between the ledges.
[0006] The rod portion of the hinge rod may be fixed to the inside of the bridging portion of the head portion, for example by locating it in an aperture in the bridging portion, or the rod portion may be formed integrally with the inside of the bridging portion of the head portion, or fixed to or formed integrally with the inside of one or both arms. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the rod portion is fixed between the arms such that the distance of the rod portion from one of the arms is greater than the distance from the other arm. In the United Kingdom toilet seats usually have a height of 3/4 in (1.91 cm) or 1 in (2.54 cm). By locating the rod portion closer to one arm than the other it is possible to use one standard hinge assembly according to the invention to fix either type of toilet seat because one arm of the head portion of the hinge rod can be located on or between the ledges of the hinge post for fixing one of the seats, and the other arm of the head portion of the hinge rod can be located on or between the ledges of the hinge post for fixing the other seat.
[0007] In a much preferred embodiment of the invention the base of the hinge post has an extension having an aperture therein, preferably an elongate aperture, extending beyond the outer surface of one of the sidewalls. Such an extension enables the same hinge assembly to be used with a variety of toilet bowl and toilet seat designs because the hinge post can be fixed to the rear of the toilet bowl in one of three positions in a direction from the front to the rear of the toilet bowl. The post can be fixed through the aperture in the base of the post, through the aperture in the extension with the post located so that the extension is at the front of the post, or through the aperture in the extension with the post located so that the extension is at the rear of the post. In order to conceal the extension of the hinge assembly the extension may be fitted with a cover, for example a cover which pivots about one edge of the extension, and in the closed position rests against the outside of one of the hinge post sidewalls.
[0008] The hinge assembly of the invention has the following advantages:-
(1) The hinge post can be located and fixed to a toilet bowl from above without the need to have access behind the toilet bowl or underneath the rear of the toilet bowl.
(2) The hinge assembly enables a toilet seat and toilet lid to be readily fitted to and released from the toilet bowl due to the snap fitting action of the hinge rod into the hinge post.
(3) The preferred embodiment enables the same hinge assembly to be used for fitting toilet seats of two different heights, for fitting a seat in three different locations in the direction from the front to the rear of the toilet bowl, and for fitting a seat in different locations laterally across the rear of the toilet bowl.
[0009] The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a hinge assembly according the the invention
Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the hinge assembly of Figure 1
Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of a similar hinge assembly except that the hinge rod is inverted compared to its position in Figure 2
Figure 4 is a schematic front elevation showing the hinge assembly of Figure 1 used to fix toilet seats of different heights
Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the hinge post of the hinge assembly of Figure 1 and its fixing means and
Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of two of the hinge assemblies of Figure 1 and a toilet seat and lid.
[0010] Referring to the drawings a hinge assembly 1 for fixing a toilet seat 2,2' and optionally a toilet lid 3 to a toilet bowl consists of a hinge post 4 and a hinge rod 5.
[0011] The hinge post 4 which is mounted on the toilet bowl has a base 6 having an elongate aperture 7 therein and two sidewalls 8, 9 projecting upwardly from the base 6. Each of the sidewalls 8, 9 has two ledges 10, 11. The base 6 has an extension 12 having an elongate aperture 13 therein extending beyond the outer surface of sidewall 8, and the extension 12 has a cover 14 which pivots about the edge 15 of the extension 12 as indicated by the curved arrows in Figure 5 and rests against the outside of sidewall 8 in the closed position, and the rod portion 17 protrudes from the head portion 16.
[0012] The hinge rod 5 has a head portion 16 and a rod portion 17 adapted to pivotally mate with the toilet seat 2 and toilet lid 3. The head portion 16 has two arms 18, 19 joined at one end by a bridging portion 20 and spaced apart such that the arms 18, 19 are parallel with each other. The rod portion 17 is fixed to the inside of the bridging portion 20 and to the inside of the two arms 18, 19 such that the rod portion 17 is closer to arm 18 then it is to arm 19, and the rod portion 17 protrudes from the head portion 16.
[0013] In use the hinge post 4 is fixed to a toilet seat bowl by means of a screw 21 passing through either aperture 7 or aperture 13 as indicated by the vertical arrows in Figure 5.
[0014] The hinge rod 5 is gripped by its head portion 16 and inserted into the hinge post 4 as indicated by the arrows in Figures 2 and 3 so that one of the arms 18, 19 is located between the ledges 10, 11 on the sidewalls 8, 9 of the hinge post 4, and the rod portion 17 protrudes out of the hinge post 4. In Figures 1 and 2 and in the right-hand part of Figure 4 arm 18 is located between ledges 10, 11 and in Figure 3 and in the left-hand part of Figure 4 arm 19 is located between ledges 10, 11.
[0015] The rod portion 17 is then inserted into an apertured lug 22 on the rear of toilet seat 2,2' and optionally the rear of toilet lid 3 as indicated by the arrows in Figure 6. Two such hinge assemblies 1 are used for fixing the toilet seat 2,2' and optionally toilet lid 3 and as shown in Figure 4 the same assemblies can be used to fix toilet seats 2,2' of two different heights.
(1) a hinge post (4) for mounting on the toilet bowl comprising a base (6) having an aperture (7) therein, and two sidewalls (8, 9) each projecting upwardly from the base (6), at least one of the sidewalls (8, 9) having a ledge (10, 11) on its inner surface and
(2) a hinge rod (5) having a head portion (16) and a rod portion (17) adapted to pivotally mate with the toilet seat (2, 2') and with the lid (3) if present, the head portion (16) comprising two arms (18, 19) joined at one end by a bridging portion (20) and spaced apart such that the arms (18, 19) are parallel with each other, and the rod portion (17) being fixed between and protruding from the arms (18, 19).