OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
[0001] As the title indicates, the object of the present invention is a toilet with automatic
tilting of the seat towards the lid, a toilet being understood as a sanitary fixture
used to collect and discharge human excrement and urine to the sewage installation,
and that prevents the release of unpleasant odors from the sewers to inhabited spaces
by means of a trap system filled with clean water.
[0002] The present invention is characterized in that the seat can be separated from the
lid by a force that separates them, and that if the force in question is no longer
applied, the seat swings automatically to the current position of the lid, thus ensuring
that the seat is always in a position pressed towards the lid, unless a force is applied
in the other direction, and that when men urinate from the standing position, the
seat will be pressed towards the lid, therefore maintaining the hygiene of the seat.
[0003] The present invention therefore falls within the scope of toilets, and specifically
the aspects related to the lid and the seat.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Toilets are generally equipped with a seat that is attached to the bowl or lower
base by a hinge, and with a lid that is attached to the seat by a hinge, with each
able to swing or turn independently from the other, in other words, the lid can be
raised without moving the seat, and the seat can be lowered from the raised position
without lowering the lid.
[0005] The aforementioned possibilities mean that when a man is going to urinate in a toilet
from the standing position, he may leave the seat in the lowered position, thereby
leaving traces of urine on the seat, with the consequent lack of hygiene for the next
user.
[0006] This lack of hygiene generated by the incorrect positioning of the seat is what the
object of the present invention seeks to resolve, but automatically, so that even
in cases in which users forget to raise the seat when they are going to urinate from
the standing position, the seat will automatically swing up towards the lid.
[0007] A toilet such as the one described below, and whose essential characteristics are
included in claim one, was developed to achieve the aforementioned ends.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The object of the present invention is a toilet with automatic tilting of the seat
towards the lid.
[0009] The toilet such as the one that is the object of this invention comprises a bowl,
a lid, and a seat, wherein the seat is attached to the bowl by a first hinge, while
the lid is attached to the seat by a second hinge, with this second hinge presenting
the possibility of turning with respect to the first hinge.
[0010] The possibility of automatically tilting of the seat towards the lid when the lid
is raised and seat is separated from the lid is achieved by arranging the second hinge
in a position that is set back with respect to the first hinge, viewing the toilet
from the front, and with the lid producing a torque with respect to the first hinge
that is greater than the opposing torque of the seat with respect to the first hinge,
causing the seat to swing up towards the lid automatically by the action of the torque
generated by the assembly made up of the cover and the second hinge with respect to
the first hinge.
[0011] In order to allow the rotation of the lid and the displacement of the second hinge
with respect to the first hinge, the back of the bowl must have a cut-out or step
such as to accommodate the lid and the second hinge in the open and closed position.
[0012] The lid is equipped with two double sets of perforated protrusions. The first set
of perforated protrusions is under the seat and at the back, and serves to form the
first set of hinges, which allows the seat to swing with respect to the bowl, while
the second set of protrusions is positioned further back, and preferably, higher with
respect to the first set of protrusions, although not limiting the invention, and
serves to form the second hinge.
[0013] All of the aforementioned characteristics make it possible that when the seat is
separated from the lid, by the action of the force of gravity of the weight of the
lid with respect to the first hinge, a torque is generated on the first hinge such
that the seat, despite the opposing torque, will automatically swing up towards the
cover, ensuring that the hygiene of the toilet is maintained, even if the user forgets
to raise the lid.
[0014] Unless otherwise indicated, the meanings of all of the technical and scientific elements
used in this description are those normally understood by a normal person skilled
in the art to which this invention belongs. Procedures and materials that are similar
or equivalent to those described in this description may be used in the practical
execution of the present invention.
[0015] Throughout the description and the claims, the word "comprises" and its variations
is not intended to exclude other technical characteristics, additives, components,
or steps. For experts on the subject, other objects, advantages, and characteristics
of the invention will be drawn partly from the description and partly from the practical
embodiment of the invention.
EXPLANATION OF THE FIGURES
[0016] As a complement the description provided herein and for the purpose of helping to
make the characteristics of the invention more readily understandable, in accordance
with a preferred practical embodiment thereof, said description is accompanied by
a set of drawings constituting an integral part of the same, which by way of illustration
and not limitation represent the following.
Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a toilet in a possible embodiment
Figure 2 shows a representation of the seat
Figure 3 shows a representation of the lid.
Figure 4 shows the toilet with the seat and lid assembly in the horizontal position
closing the bowl.
Figure 5 shows the seat and lid, the seat and lid assembly raised in the vertical
position.
Figure 6 shows a side view in which the lid is in the vertical position, while the
seat is in the horizontal position.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
[0017] In light of the figures, the following section describes a preferred embodiment of
the proposed invention.
[0018] Figure 1 shows a toilet such as that which is the object of the invention, and which
comprises a bowl (3), a lid (1), and a seat (2), wherein the seat (2) is attached
to the bowl (3) by means of a first hinge (5), while the lid (1) is attached to the
seat by a second hinge (6) that allows the seat (2) to be hinged with respect to the
base (1), with the specific result of the automatic tilting of the seat (2) towards
the lid (1) when the seat (2) is separated from the lid (1) and no separation force
is applied.
[0019] Where the first hinge (5), with the toilet viewed from the front, is in a lower position
and shifted forward with respect to the second hinge (6), and the torque generated
by the lid (1) with respect to the first hinge (5) is greater than the opposing torque
generated by the seat (2) with respect to the first hinge (5).
[0020] The bowl (3), in the embodiment shown, has the specific characteristic of a step
(4) at the back and on the top of the bowl (3), in order accommodate the second hinge
(6) in its displacement, since the first hinge assembly (5) and the second hinge assembly
(6) do not line up.
[0021] Figure 2 shows the seat (2) that is equipped with a first set of protrusions (7)
arranged perpendicular to the horizontal plane defined by the seat (2), on the underside
and on the back of the seat (2). Said first set of protrusions (7) has a central perforation
to allow the passage of the hinge connection between the seat and lid and the bowl,
configuring the first hinge (5).
[0022] On the seat (2), there is a second set of protrusions (8) arranged on the back of
the seat (2), and positioned higher and further back with respect to the first set
of protrusions (7) serving to make up the second hinge (6). The condition of this
second set of protrusions (8) positioned higher with respect to the first set is not
limiting; positioning it further back with respect to the first set shall suffice,
since the purpose is to allow the second hinge (6) to swing by the action of the torque
from the weight of the cover with respect to the first set of hinges.
[0023] This second set of protrusions (8) has a central perforation to allow the passage
of the hinge connection between the lid (1) and seat (2), configuring the second hinge
(6), said second set of protrusions (8) being separated by a distance such that it
allows housing a protrusion (9) (figure 3) found on the underside and at the back
of the lid (1).
[0024] Figure 4, which shows a partial view of the toilet with the lid (1) and seat (2)
closed, the first set of hinges (5) and the second set of hinges (6) can be seen housed
in the step (4) defined on the upper back part of the bowl (3).
[0025] Figure 5 shows how the lid (1) and the seat (2) are in the vertical position and
how the second set of hinges has shifted towards the lower part of the step (4). In
this case, it is important to note that when the lid (1) is raised, due to the torque
generated by the lid (1) with respect to the first hinge and that is greater than
the opposing torque generated by the seat (2) with respect to said first hinge (5),
this causes automatic tilting of the seat (2) towards the lid (1) through the action
of the force of gravity and the generated torque.
[0026] Figure 6 shows the seat (2) lowered and supported on the bowl (3), while the lid
(1) is raised, this position can only be maintained by exerting a force to hold it
in that position that is greater than the force of the torque generated by the lid
(1), either because the user is seated, or because it is being supported by the user's
hand. The figure shows how the second set of hinges (6) has moved from the lower position
to the upper position of the step (4).
[0027] Thanks to the described characteristics, the seat (2) is always pressed towards the
lid (1) unless a greater retaining force is applied to the second set of hinges (6).
[0028] Having sufficiently described the nature of the present invention, as well as the
ways of implementing it, it is stated that within its essential nature, it may be
carried out in other embodiments that differ in detail from the one provided by way
of example, and which are also covered by the requested protection, provided that
they do not alter, change or modify its fundamental principle.
1. A toilet with automatic tilting of the seat towards the lid, which comprises a bowl
(3), a lid (1), and a seat (2) wherein the seat (2) is attached by means of a hinge
with respect to the bowl (3) by means of a first hinge (5), while the lid (1) is attached
to the seat by means of a second hinge (6), which allows the seat (2) to swing with
respect to the base (1), wherein the first hinge (5), with the toilet viewed from
the front, is in a lower position and shifted forward with respect to the second hinge
(6), and the torque generated by the lid (1) with respect to the first hinge (5) is
greater than the opposing torque generated by the seat (2) with respect to the first
hinge (5).
2. The toilet with automatic tilting of the seat towards the lid, according to claim
1, characterized in that the bowl (3) has a step (4) arranged on the back and on the top thereof, that enables
accommodating the second hinge (6) in its displacement.
3. The toilet with automatic tilting of the seat towards the lid, according to claim
2,
characterized in that the seat (2) is equipped with:
- A first set of protrusions (7) arranged perpendicular to the horizontal plane defined
by the seat (2), and with a central perforation on the underside to allow the passage
of the hinge connection between the seat and the bowl, configuring the first hinge
(5).
- A second set of protrusions (8) arranged on the back of the seat (2), and positioned
higher and further back with respect to the first set of protrusions (7) serving to
make up the second hinge (6).
4. The toilet with automatic tilting of the seat towards the lid, according to claim
3, characterized in that the second set of protrusions (8) are separated by a distance such that it allows
housing a protrusion (9) found on the underside and at the back of the lid (1).