EP1328182A1

EP1328182A1 - A toilet seat and a toilet cover assembly with integrated hinge eyes

Info

Publication number: EP1328182A1
Application number: EP01980194A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Orla M. Christensen; Nis Ollgaard
Original assignee: Pressalit AS
Current assignee: Pressalit AS
Priority date: 2000-10-25
Filing date: 2001-10-25
Publication date: 2003-07-23
Also published as: US20040098796A1; AU2002212095A1; NO20031828L; WO2002034099A1; NO20031828D0

Abstract

A toilet seat and a toilet cover assembly comprising such as toilet seat and an associated cover, in which the seat and the cover each are/is formed integrally with hinge eyes (6, 7) at their rear edges for being pivotally mounted on a toilet bowl (9) about a horizontal axis. Both the seat (1) and the cover (2) are made by compression moulding in a mould consisting of a first mould part and a second mould part, a first surface being formed of the first mould part and a second surface being formed of the second mould part, a seat parting line (3) and a cover parting line (4) provided along the periphery defining the transition between the first face and the second face. The seat parting line (3) and the cover parting line (4) both extend continuously and without sharp concave notches such that flashes or fins formed during the moulding process may be ground off without removing additional moulding material.

Description

Title: A toilet seat and a toilet cover assembly with integrated hinge eyes-

Technical Field

The invention relates to a toilet seat according to the preamble of claim 1 and a toilet cover assembly according to the preamble of claim 5.

Background Art

Toilet seats and covers are often secured to the toilet bowl by means of hinge pins and hinge eyes. The hinge eyes may be formed as separate steel eyes screwed onto the seat and the cover at their rear edges and engaging angular hinge pins screwed onto the toilet bowl. However, toilet seats are also known, where the seat and the cover are formed integrally with hinge eyes.

As an example, some manufacturers produce toilet seats by compression moulding of urea plastics, wherein the hinge eyes are formed as projections at the rear edge of the seat and the cover, respectively.

However, these projections constitute a production problem, h compression moulding and sometimes in other moulding processes flash or fins are inevitably formed in the parting line between the two mould parts, said flash or fins subsequently having to be removed from the moulded workpiece and it is difficult or impossible to carry out a smooth grinding off of the fin or flash in the area adjacent the projections. The grinding process is often carried out in a robotic edging process by means of a belt grinder and it is very difficult to access the innermost corners at the proj ections without damaging the adj acent edge portions and thus forming notches and sharp edges therein. From an aesthetic aspect this is very unfortunate and consequently has an adverse effect on the retail price of the toilet seat. Furthermore the projections may give rise to a strength problem, overloading causing them to break off. Finally the projections may also present a problem as regards hygiene, efficient cleaning being more complicated due to impurities accumulating in the innermost corners.

Description of the Invention

The object of the invention is to provide a toilet seat and a toilet cover assembly of the above type which are not encumbered by the above draw-backs.

According to the invention the seat parting line extends continuously and without sharp, concave notches such that the flashes or fins formed during the moulding process may be ground off without removing additional moulding material. A toilet seat is thus obtained, where the fin may be easily ground off for instance by means of a robotic belt grinder so as to provide an attractive and smooth surface and further to significantly reduce the risk of the hinge eyes breaking off. Moreover moulding and hygiene advantages are also obtained.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the seat parting line has nowhere a concave curvature having a radius of curvature of less than 10 mm, preferably of less than 15 mm, when measured perpendicular to the surface of the seat material. An easier and faster robotic edging process is thus obtained. The larger the radius, the wider tape can be used in the belt grinder.

According to the invention the seat parting line has advantageously nowhere a convex curvature having a radius of curvature of less than 5 mm, preferably of less than 8 mm, when measured perpendicular to the surface of the material. In the areas in which the seatparting line curves in a convex manner the radius of curvature is not as crucial as in the areas in which the seat parting line curves in a concave manner, the former areas being more readily accessible and thus easier to grind. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the hinge eyes in the toilet seat are shaped as apertures in part areas extending substantially perpendicular to the main plane of the seat, whereby a more compact and robust structure is obtained.

According to the invention the cover of the toilet cover assembly may be provided with a cover parting line extending continuously and without sharp concave notches such that flashes or fins formed during the moulding process may be ground off without removing additional moulding material.

According to a preferred embodiment the cover parting line has nowhere a concave curvature having a radius of curvature of less than 10 mm, preferably of less 15 mm, when measured perpendicular to the surface of the cover material.

According to a preferred embodiment the cover parting line has nowhere a convex curvature having a radius of curvature of less than 5 mm, preferably of less than 8 mm, when measured perpendicular to the surface of the material.

It should be stressed that the said radii of curvature relate to the curvatures of the parting lines and not to the curvature of for instance to the outline of an incision.

According to a preferred embodiment the cover hinge eyes are shaped as blind holes extending into the cover from the first face of the cover. As a result the hinges are invisible in the lowered position of the cover.

Optionally the cover hinge eyes may be shaped as through holes being provided with closing plugs on their outer faces. Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention is explained in greater detail below with reference to a preferred embodiment illustrated in the drawing, in which

Fig. 1 is an inclined perspective rear view of a toilet cover assembly according to the invention comprising a toilet seat and an associated cover,

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the toilet cover assembly shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is an inclined and perspective view from below of the toilet cover assembly shown in Figs. 1 and 2,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view through a portion of the toilet cover assembly according to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 mounted on a toilet bowl and

Fig. 5 is a rear view of a portion of the toilet seat and cover according to Figs. 1-4 without a hinge pin.

Preferred embodiments

The toilet cover assembly according to the invention shown in Figs. 1-5 comprises a seat 1 and a cover 2 and may be secured about a horizontal axis by means to two hinge pins 5. As can be seen, both the seat 1 and the cover 2 are provided with integrated hinge eyes 6,7, (confer Figs.4 and 5), through which the hinge pins 5 have been inserted in the mounted state of the cover assembly.

The toilet seat 1 is made by compression moulding in a mould consisting of a first mould part and a second mould part. A first surface of the seat - or to be more precise the face defining the seating area 8 - is formed of the first mould part, and a second face of the seat is formed of the second mould part. In compression moulding, which is also called hot pressing, the two heated mould parts are closed around the plastics, which may be in liquid, powder or tablet form. As a result any excess material is pressed out along the parting line and into the land area between the two mould parts, whereby flashes and fins are formed. The flashes or fins are to be removed when the workpiece has been taken out of the mould. This is typically carried out by removing the flashes with a wooden stick and subsequently grinding along the parting line. Usually the line has to be ground and polished twice. Both processes are often carried out by means of a programmed robot, the grinding being made by means of a belt grinder and the polishing being made by means of rotating brushes.

Urea plastics is typically used, but other moulding materials such as polyurethane, epoxy or polyester may also be used.

The cover 2 is made in the same manner as the toilet seat 1. Both the cover mould and the seat mould are provided with a core puller for forming the hinge eyes 6 and 7, respectively, confer Figs. 4 and 5.

Known toilet seats and covers comprising integrated hinge eyes have projections in which holes are provided. The parting line extends over these projections making it very difficult - if not impossible - to obtain a smooth grinding of the fin due to the sharp bends or curves around the projections. In particular the innermost corners cause problems, as it is impossible to reach therein by means of a belt grinder.

As shown in Figs. 1,2 and 3 according to the invention both the parting line 3 of the seat 1 and the parting line 4 of the cover 2 extend continuously without sharp projections or sharp notches. This feature is obtained by providing the hinge eyes in areas of the seat and the cover, respectively, which are spaced apart from the parting lines. Projections or sharp notches are thus not produced. A robot may thus be easily programmed to move along the entire periphery of the seat 1 or the cover 2 for grinding off the flashes along the parting lines 3,4.

As shown in Fig. 3, the portion of the seat parting line 3 extending along the central opening of the seat causes no problems.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view through the hinge area of a toilet cover assembly mounted on a toilet bowl. A conventional angular hinge pin 5 is secured in a through hole in a flange 9 on a toilet bowl by means of a flange 11 , a first plastic disc 12 and a second plastic disc 13 , a threaded pin 15 and a nut 14. The horizontally extending free end of the hinge pin 5 has been inserted through the through-going hinge eye in the seat 1 and a blind hole 7 in the cover 2. As shown Fig. 4 a bushing 10 may be inserted through the hinge eyes 6,7 to obtain improved guidance of the hinge pin 5.

In Fig. 5 the seat 1 and the cover 2 are shown without the hinge pin 5.

In the shown embodiment the smallest concave radius of curvature R] of the parting line 3 is about 17 mm and the smallest convex radius of curvature R₂ is about 11 mm. In the shown embodiment the smallest concave radius of curvature R₃ of the cover parting line 4 is about 75 mm, while the smallest convex radius of curvature 1^ is about 16 mm.

By the seat 1 and the cover 2 according to the invention an advantageous toilet cover assembly is obtained from an aesthetic aspect in that the parting lines may be deflashed and polished without causing unattractive notches and sharp edges. Furthermore, advantages in relation to strength, moulding and hygiene are also obtained.

The toilet seat and the cover assembly are not restricted to the above embodiment.

The seat and the cover are preferably made from urea plastics, but may also be made from other moulding materials such as polyurethane, epoxy, polyester or other types of plastics.

The seat and the cover according to the invention are particularly suitable in connection with compression moulding, in which the excess moulding material is pressed out into the land area between the two mouldparts . The invention is, however, also advantageous in connection with other moulding processes, in which fins are formed in the parting line. Processes are for instance known, in which PUR is foamed in a closed mould comprising two mould halves hinged together and in which a fin is formed in the parting line.

Claims

1. A toilet seat (1) being integrally formed with hinge eyes (6) at its rear edge for being pivotally mounted on a toilet bowl (9) about a horizontal axis, said toilet seat (1) being made in a moulding process, in particular in a compression moulding process, in a mould consisting of a first mould part and a second mould part, a first surface (8) of the seat being formed of the first mould part and defining the seating area, a second surface of the seat being moulded of the second mould part, and a seat parting line (3) along the outer periphery of the seat and along the periphery of the inner opening of the seat defining the transition between the first surface and the second surface, characterised in that the seat parting line (3) extends continuously and without sharp, concave notches such that the flashes or fins formed during the moulding process maybe ground off without removing additional moulding material.

2. A toilet seat according to claim 1, characterised in that the seat parting line (3) has nowhere a concave curvature having a radius of curvature (Rj) of less than 10 mm, preferably of less than 15 mm, when measured perpendicular to the seat material surface.

3. A toilet seat according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the seat parting line (3) has nowhere a convex curvature having a radius of curvature (R₂) of less than 5 mm, preferably of less than 8 mm, when measured peφendicular to the seat material surface.

4. A toilet seat according to one of the claims 1-3, characterised in that the hinge eyes (6) are provided as apertures in part areas extending substantially peφendicular to the main plane of the seat.

5. A toilet cover assembly comprising a seat (1) according to one of the claims 1-4 and a cover (2), said cover being formed integrally with hinge eyes (7) adjacent its rear edge for being pivotally mounted on a toilet bowl about a horizontal axis and further being made in a moulding process, in particular in a compression moulding process, in a mould consisting of a first mould part and a second mould part, a first surface (16) of the cover being formed of the first mould part and facing the seat (1) in the lowered position of the cover (2) and a second surface of the cover being formed of the second mould part, a cover parting line (4) provided along the outer periphery of the cover defining the transition between the first face and the second face, characterised in that cover parting line (4) extends continuously and without shaφ concave notches such that flashes or fins formed during the moulding process may be ground off without removing additional moulding material.

6. A toilet cover assembly according to claim 5, in which the cover parting line (4) has nowhere a concave curvature having a radius of curvature (R₃) of less than 10 mm, preferably of less than 15 mm, when measured peφendicular to the seat material surface.

7. A toilet cover assembly according to claim 5 or 6, characterised in that the cover parting line (4) has nowhere a convex curvature having a radius of curvature (R^) of less than 5 mm, preferably of less than 8 mm, when measured peφendicular to the seat material surface.

8. A toilet seat according to one of the claims 5-7, characterised in that the cover hinge eyes are shaped as blind holes (7) extending into the cover (2) from the first face (16) of the cover.

9. A toilet seat according to one of the claims 5-7, characterised in that the cover hinge eyes are shaped as through holes extending from the first face (16) of the cover (2) to the second face of the cover.