GB2505285A

GB2505285A - A self-closing toilet cover connection device

Info

Publication number: GB2505285A
Application number: GB1310904.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Dong Peng; Xingyi Yu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-06-21
Filing date: 2013-06-19
Publication date: 2014-02-26
Anticipated expiration: 2033-06-19
Also published as: CN102764094A; GB2505285B; CN102764094B; GB201310904D0; DE102013010352A1

Abstract

A self-closing toilet lid connection device 100 and a method of use thereof, in which the connection device comprises a torsion member 40 used to store energy when the lid 200 is lifted; a lock device (12, 14, 21 Fig 3) to lock and preserve the energy of the spring; start up and release of the lock device allows the torsion member to drive the lid 200 to cover the base. A drive device 30 releases the lock device (12, 14, 21 Fig 3), the drive device includes a motor (323, Fig 3) and a drive mechanism 32, the drive mechanism provides an axial force to release the lock device. Preferably, a detect mechanism 31 is included to detect usage of the toilet. The self-close toilet cover connection device can close the cover automatically without the need for a user to touch the lid, or the lid can be closed manually if necessary.

Description

A self-close connection device of a toilet cover and a self-close method thereof

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a self-close connection device of a toilet cover and a self-close method thereof.

Background of the invention

Being one of the common sanitary appliances in people's daily life, the toilet usually includes a cover and a base. The cover is pivot joint to the base to be lifted or covered down.

The Chinese patent with application number 201010563634.X and filing date Nov.29th, 2010 is provided with a quick assembly and disassembly device of a toilet cover, which includes a connection base and a support. The connection base is used to connect to the cover, the base is connected to the toilet. The connection base is disposed with an inserted pipe in the lower, the base is disposed with a circular pipe in the upper, the inserted pipe is inserted to the circuit pipe, making the cover lifted up or covered down relatively to the toilet. When using this toilet, the cover is open. After the toilet is used, put the cover down by hand.

However, the cover is covered down by hand after the toilet is used, making it inconvenient to use.

Summary of the invention

The present invention is provided with a self-close connection device of a toilet cover and a self-close method thereof of easy used, which overcomes the problems of the existing technology.

The technical proposal of the present invention to solve the technical problems is as below: A self-close connection device of a toilet cover, includes: a torsion member used to generate energy to make the cover covered the base when the cover is lifted; a lock device to lock and preserve the energy; when the lock device is started up and released, the torsion member drives the cover to cover the base; wherein further includes: a drive device used to release the lock device, the drive device includes a motor and a drive mechanism, the drive mechanism is provided with an axial force to release the lock device.

In another preferred embodiment, the lock device includes a lock part and a support part, the lock part is fixed and is not rotated with the cover, the lock part is disposed with a lock position and a release position in the axial direction of the rotating of the cover, the support part is rotated with the cover, and the support part is driven by the drive device and moved between the lock position and the release position in the axial direction.

In another preferred embodiment, it further includes a pivot sleeve used to pivot joint to the cover and the base and a drive bar disposed inside the pivot sleeve and rotated with the cover synchronously, the lock part is disposed in the pivot sleeve, the support part is disposed in the drive bar.

In another preferred embodiment, the lock part is a snap ring, the snap ring is disposed with the lock position and the release position, the snap ring is disposed with a lock groove in the lock position, the support part is an inserted link, which can move along the drive bar in the axial direction.

In another preferred embodiment, the inner wall of the snap ring is disposed with a lock block along the circumferential direction, the lock block is disposed with two lock grooves of symmetry.

In another preferred embodiment, the drive mechanism includes a push bar, a runner and an elastic piece, the inserted link is passing through the push bar along radial direction, the end face of the push bar is disposed with a spiral curved surface, the motor drives the runner to rotate, the elastic piece is withstood between the push bar and the drive bar.

k another preferred embodiment, the drive bar includes a take-in scction and a position section, the pivot sleeve is disposed with a fixation ring, the snap ring and an elastic ring sleeved in the position section one by one, the fixation ring is connected to the pivot sleeve, the snap ring and the elastic ring are snapped between the fixation ring and the take-in ring, the end face of the fixation ring is disposed with at least a limit hole, the end face of the snap ring is disposed with at least an arc limit ball, the limit ball is inserted into the limit hole.

In another preferred embodiment, it further includes a detect mechanism to detect the usage of the toilet.

In another preferred embodiment, it further includes a damper to damp the cover.

In another preferred embodiment, it further includes a position ring, the torsion member is passing through the position ring to connect to the cover.

A self-close method of a toilet cover is applied with a self-close connection device of a toilet cover, which includes: a torsion member used to generate energy to make the cover covered the base when the cover is lifted; a lock device to lock and preserve the energy; when the lock device is started up and released, the torsion member drives the cover to cover the base; it further includes: a drive device used to release the lock device, the drive device includes a motor and a drive mechanism, the drive mechanism is provided with an axial force to release the lock device. The self-close method of a toilet cover includes steps as below: (1) Lift up the cover, the torsion member generates energy to make the cover to cover the base; (2) The lock device locks and preserves the energy, the cover can not rotate; (3) After the toilet is used, the motor drives the drive mechanism to provide axial force to release the lock device; (4) The torsion member drives the cover to cover the base, the cover rotates till the angle with the base is smaller than 90 degrees; (5) The cover keeps rotating under the work of the self-gravity and the energy to cover the base.

In another preferred embodiment, the self-close connection device of a toilet cover further includes a pivot sleeve used to pivot joint to the cover and the base and a drive bar disposed inside the pivot sleeve and rotated with the cover synchronously, the lock part is disposed in the pivot sleeve, the support part is disposed in the drive bar.

In another preferred embodiment, the drive mechanism includes a push bar, a runner and an elastic piece, the inserted link is passing through the push bar along radial direction, the elastic piece is withstood between the push bar and the drive bar, the motor drives the inserted link to move to the release position in the axial direction, the elastic element drives the inserted link to move to the lock groove in the axial direction.

In another preferred embodiment, the lock part is locked to the support part, close the cover by hand, the snap ring rotates relatively to the pivot sleeve.

Compared to the existing technology, the technical proposal of the present invention has advantages as below: 1. After the toilet is used, the drive mechanism provides axial force to release the lock device, the energy of the torsion member makes the cover rotated till the angle of the cover and the base is less than 90 degrees, the cover keeps on rotating under the work of the self-gravity and the energy, the cover then covers the base. As the self-close connection device of a toilet cover can close the cover automatically, the present invention is easy to use.

2. The lock part is disposed with a lock position and a release position, the support part is driven by the drive device to move between the lock position and the release position in the axial direction, making it easy and effective to realize the lock and unlock of the lock part and the support part, the present invention has simple structure.

4. The lock part is disposed in the pivot sleeve, the support part is disposed in the drive bar, foreign matter is not easy to enter into the lock part and the support part, making the present invention operated steadily.

4. The lock part is a lock groove disposed in the snap ring, the support part is an inserted link moving along the drive bar in the axial direction, making the present invention with simple structure.

5. The inner wall of the snap ring is disposed with a lock block along the circumferential direction, the lock block is disposed with two lock grooves of symmetry, the snap ring is simple structural and easy to form, making the lock device more stable.

6. The motor drives the runner to rotate, making the inserted link moved forward in the axial direction, the elastic element withstands the push bar, making the inserted link moved backward in the axial direction, the inserted link is unlock or lock to the lock groove, making the self-close connection device of a toilet cover with simple structure and energy saving.

7. The snap ring and the elastic element are snapped between the fixation ring and the take-in section, when the lock part is locked to the support part, if someone forces to close the cover, the limit ball will leave the limit hole, the snap ring presses the elastic ring and moves relatively to the pivot sleeve in the axial direction, finally making the lock part separated from the support part to cover the cover, the present invention has the performance that it can be closed by human force.

8. The detect mechanism can detect the usage of the toilet, making sure that the cover is closed when no one is using the toilet, it makes the present invention easy to use.

9. The damper is used to damp the cover, making the cover dropping down slowly.

10. The torsion member is disposed inside the position ring, when using the toilet, the gravity of the user is transferred to the position ring, preventing the torsion member from being damaged, it makes the present invention with long service life.

Brief description of the drawings

The present invention can be further descried with the drawings and the embodiments.

Fig.1 illustrates the structure of the self-close connection device of a toilet cover of the present invention.

Fig.2 illustrates the breakdown structure of the self-close connection device of a toilet cover in fig. I. Fig.3 illustrates another view of the breakdown structure of the self-close connection device of a toilet cover without the pivot sleeve and the detect mechanism in fig.!.

Fig.4 illustrates another view of the structure of the snap ring of fig.3.

Fig.5 illustrates the sectional view of the A-A line in fig. 1.

Fig.6 illustrates the partial sectional view of the lock part locked to the support part in fig.3.

Fig.7 illustrates the partial sectional view of the lock pan unlocked to the support part in fig.3.

DetailS description of the embodiments

Refer to fig.!, the toilet cove of the present invention includes a self-close connection device 100 and a cover, the cover 200 can be rotated and pivot joint to the two sides of the connection device 100. the self-close connection device 100 is used to make the cover 200 covered to the base of the toilet after the toilet is used. The cover 200 includes an upper cover 220 and a seatring 240.

Refer to fig.2, the connection device 100 includes a pivot sleeve 10, a drive bar 20, a drive device (as figured in fig.4), a detect mechanism 3!, a torsion member 40, an upper cover damper 50, a seatring damper 60, a position ring 70 and a lock device. The lock device is disposed in the pivot sleeve 10 and the drive bar 20.

The detect mechanism 31 is used to detect the usage of the toilet.

Refer to fig.3 and fig.4, the!ock device inc!udes a lock part 14 and a support part 21. The support part 21 is used to lock to the lock part 14. The lock part 14 is a snap ring 12, the support part 21 is an inserted link 2! 1. The lock part 14 is disposed with a lock position 141 and a release position 142 (as figured in fig.4) in the axial direction. The lock position 141 and the release position 142 are separately disposed in two ends of the lock part 14. when the!ock part 2! is situated in the lock position 141, the lock part 14 is locked to the support part 21, the lock device is situated in lock state; when the support part 21 is situated in the release position 142, the lock part 14 is unlocked to the support part 21, the lock device is situated in startup release state. The inner wall of the snap ring 12 is disposed with a lock block 122 in the lock position 141 in the circumferential direction. The lock block 122 is disposed with at least a lock groove 1221. There are two lock grooves 1221 in this embodiment, two lock grooves 1221 are symmetrical arranged.

The pivot sleeve 10 is used to pivot joint to the cover 200 and the base. The pivot sleeve 10 is a hollow tube, a fixation ring 11, a snap ring 12 and an elastic ring 13 is disposed inside the pivot sleeve 10. The fixation ring 11 is connected to the inner wall of the pivot sleeve 10, the fixation ring 11 is kept still relatively to the pivot sleeve 10. The end face of the fixation ring 11 faced to the snap ring 12 is disposed with two limit holes 111. The end face of the snap ring 12 faced to the fixation ring 11 is disposed with two arc limit balls 121 corresponding to the two limit holes ill.

The snap ring 12 is connected to the fixation ring 11, the snap ring 12 can not rotate relatively to the pivot sleeve 10.

The drive bar 20 is a hollow tube of step shaped, the drive bar 20 includes a take-in section and a position section 23. The diameter of the take-in section is larger than that of the position section 23. The take-in section 22 is used to hold the drive device 30 and the upper cover damper 50. The position section 23 is disposed with a long groove 231, the inserted link 211 can move forwards or backwards in the axial direction inside the groove 231.

The drive device 30 is used to drive the lock part 14 to lock or unlock to the support part 21, the drive device 30 includes a motor 323 and a drive mechanism 32. The drive mechanism 32 is used to generate axial force to release the lock device, the drive mechanism 32 includes a push bar 321, a runner 322 and a spring 324. One end of the push bar is disposed with a throughout hole 3211 corresponding to the inserted link 3212, the other end is disposed with two spiral curved surfaces 3212 of symmetry. The runner 322 is disposed with two spiral push surface 3221 in the end face corresponding to the two spiral curved surfaces 3212. The motor 323 is used to drive the runner 322 to rotate, making the two spiral push surfaces 3221 pushing the two spiral curved surface 3212, the push bar 321 moves forwards in the axial direction. The spring 324 is used to push the push bar 321 to make it moved backwards in the axial direction.

The torsion member 40 is used to generate energy to make the upper cover 220 covered the base when the upper cover 220 is lifted, and the energy is stored inside the torsion member. The energy is locked and preserved by the lock device, only if the lock device is startup and released, the energy pushes the cover 200 to cover the base. In this embodiment, the torsion member 40 is a torsion spring.

The upper cover damper 50 is used to control the upper cover 220 to drop down slowly.

The seatring damper 60 is used to control the seatring 240 to drop down slowly.

The position ring 70 is disposed with an inserted hole 71 corresponding to the torsion member 40.

Refer to fig.3 to fig.6, the spring 324, the push bar 321, the runner 322 and the motor 323 are disposed inside the drive bar 20 one by one. The spring 324 withstands between the push bar 321 and the inner wall of the position section 23. The throughout hole 3211 and the groove 231 are aligned in the vertical direction. The inserted link 211 is passing through the throughout hole 3211 and the groove 231. the elastic ring 13, the snap ring 12 and the fixation ring 11 are sleeved in the position section 23 one by one, the snap ring 12 and the elastic ring 13 snap between the fixation ring 11 and the take-in section 22, two limit balls 121 are inserted into the two limit holes 111. The inserted link 211 is disposed inside the snap ring 12. The shaft of the upper cover damper 50 is connected to the pivot sleeve 10 by a fixed block 51. The housing of the upper cover damper 50 is connected to the take-in section 22 by a second fixed block 52. The housing of the upper cover damper 50 is rotated with the drive bar 20 synchronously. The housing of the seatring damper 60 is connected to pivot sleeve 10 by a fixed block 61. The torsion member 40 and the position ring are sleeved in the seatring damper 60 one by one. One end of the torsion member 40 is passing through the inserted hole 71, while the other end is connected to the pivot sleeve 10 by the fixed block 61. the drive bar 20 is connected to the upper cover 220 by a shaft sleeve 222. The shaft of the seatring damper 60 is connected to the seatring 240 by a shaft sleeve 242. The shaft of the seatring damper 60 is rotated with the seatring synchronously. One end of the torsion member 40 is inserted into the upper cover 220 to rotate synchronously.

Refer to fig.5. when the cover 200 is covered the base, the inserted link 211 is situated in the release position 142 of the lock part 14, the spring 324 withstands the inserted link 211, making the inserted link 211 withstanding the side wall of the lock block 122.

Refer to fig,6. When the upper cover 220 is lifted, one end of the torsion member 40 rotates and generates the energy to make the upper cover 220 covered the base; The shaft sleeve 222 (as figured in fig.5) is rotated with the drive bar 20 synchronously, when the upper cover 220 is rotated about 150 degrees, the inserted link 211 is aligned with the two lock grooves 1221 in the axial direction. The spring 324 pushes the inserted link 211 into the two lock grooves 1221 in the axial direction, that is to say, the inserted link 211 is situated in the lock position 141 of the lock part 14, realizing the lock part 14 locked to the support part 21. The lock device locks and preserves the energy; the upper cover 220 can not rotate again; Refer to fig.7. when the detect mechanism 31 detects that the toilet is unused, the motor 323 drives the drive mechanism 32 to provide axial force to release the lock device, that is to say, the motor 323 drives the runner 322 to rotate, the runner 322 pushes the push bar 321 to move forward in the axial direction, the inserted link 211 is separated from the two lock grooves 1221 and moved from the lock position 141 to the release position 142, making the lock device situated in startup and release state, the energy stored in the torsion member 40 is released; The torsion member 40 pushes the upper cover 220 to cover the base, the upper cover 220 rotates till the angle with the base is less than 90 degrees; The upper cover 220 keeps rotating under the work of self-gravity and the energy to cover the base.

The snap ring 12 and the elastic ring 13 snap between the fixation ring 11 and the take-in section 22, when the lock part 14 is locked to the support part 21, if someone forces to close the cover 200, the limit ball 121 will leave the limit hole Ill, the snap ring 12 presses the elastic ring 13 and moves relatively to the pivot sleeve 10 in the axial direction, finally making the lock part 14 separated from the support part 21 to cover the cover 200, the present invention has the performance that it can be closed by human force.

It is understandable that the lock of the lock device can be also realized if the inserted link 211 is disposed in the pivot sleeve 10 and the lock groove 1221 is disposed in the drive bar 20.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof for carrying out the patent for invention, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the patent for invention which is intended to be defined by the appended claims.

Claims

Claims 1. A self-close connection device of a toilet cover which includes: a torsion member used to generate energy to make the cover covered the base when the cover is lifted; a lock device to lock and preserve the energy; when the lock device is started up and released, the torsion member drives the cover to cover the base; a drive device used to release the lock device, the drive device includes a motor and a drive mechanism, the drive mechanism is provided with an axial force to release the lock device.
2. A self-close connection mechanism of a toilet cover according to claim I, wherein the lock device includes a lock part and a support part, the lock part is fixed and is not rotated with the cover, the lock part is disposed with a lock position and a release position in the axial direction of the rotating of the cover, the support part is rotated with the cover, and the support part is driven by thc drive device and moved between the lock position and the release position in the axial direction.
3. A self-close connection mechanism of a toilet cover according to claim 1 which further includes a pivot sleeve used to pivot joint to the cover and the base and a drive bar disposed inside the pivot sleeve and rotated with the cover synchronously, the lock part is disposed in the pivot sleeve, the support part is disposed in the drive bar.
4. A self-close connection mechanism of a toilet cover according to claim 3, wherein the lock part is a snap ring, the snap ring is disposed with the lock position and the release position, the snap ring is disposed with a lock groove in the lock position, the support part is an inserted link which can move along the drive bar in the axial direction.
5. A self-close connection mechanism of a toilet cover according to claim 4, wherein the inner wall of the snap ring is disposed with a lock block along the circumferential direction, the lock block is disposed with two lock grooves of symmetry.
6. A self-close connection device of a toilet cover according to claim 5, wherein the drive mechanism includes a push bar, a runner and an elastic piece, the inserted link is passing through the push bar along radial direction, the end face of the push bar is disposed with a spiral curved surface, the motor drives the runner to rotate, the elastic piece is withstood between the push bar and the drive bar.
7. A self-close connection device of a toilet cover according to claim 6, wherein the drive bar includes a take-in section and a position section, the pivot sleeve is disposed with a fixation ring, the snap ring and an elastic ring sleeved in the position section one by one, the fixation ring is connected to the pivot sleeve, the snap ring and the elastic ring are snapped between the fixation ring and the take-in ring, the end face of the fixation ring is disposed with at least a limit hole, the end face of the snap ring is disposed with at least an arc limit ball, the limit ball is inserted into the limit hole.
8. A self-close connection device of a toilet cover according to any one of claim 1 to claim 7 which further includes a detect mechanism to detect the usage of the toilet.
9. A self-close connection device of a toilet cover according to claim 1 or 2 which further includes a damper to damp the cover.
10. A self-close connection device of a toilet cover according to claim 1 or 2, wherein further includes a position ring, the torsion member is passing through the position ring to connect to the cover.
11. A self-close method of a toilet cover applied with the self-close connection device of a toilet cover defined in claim 1, wherein the method includes: (I) lifting up the cover, the torsion member generates energy to make the cover to cover the base; (2) the lock device locks and preserves the energy, the cover can not rotate; (3) after the toilet is used, the motor drives the drive mechanism to provide axial force to release the lock device; (4) the torsion member drives the cover to cover the base, the cover rotates till the angle with the base is smaller than 90 degrees; and (5) the cover keeps rotating under the work of the self-gravity and the energy to cover the base.
12. A self-close method of a toilet cover according to claim 11, wherein the lock device includes a lock part and a support part, the lock part is fixed and is not rotated with the cover, the lock part is disposed with a lock position and a release position in the axial direction of the rotating of the cover, the support part is rotated with the cover, and the support part is driven by the drive device and moved between the lock position and the release position in the axial direction.
13. A self-close method of a toilet cover according to claim 12, wherein the self-close connection device of a toilet cover further includes a pivot sleeve used to pivot joint to the cover and the base and a drive bar disposed inside the pivot sleeve and rotated with the cover synchronously, the lock part is disposed in the pivot sleeve, the support part is disposed in the drive bar.
14. A self-close method of a toilet cover according to claim 13, wherein the lock part is a snap ring, the snap ring is disposed with the lock position and the release position, the snap ring is disposed with a lock groove in the lock position, the support part is an inserted link, which can move along the drive bar in the axial direction.
15. A self-close method of a toilet cover according to claim 14, wherein the drive mechanism includes a push bar, a runner and an elastic piece, the inserted link is passing through the push bar along radial direction, the elastic piece is withstood between the push bar and the drive bar, the motor drives the inserted link to move to the release position in the axial direction, the elastic element drives the inserted link to move to the lock groove in the axial direction.
16. A self-close method of a toilet cover according to claim 14, wherein when the lock part is locked to the support part, close the cover by hand, the snap ring rotates relatively to the pivot sleeve.
17. A self-close connection device of a toilet cover substantially as hereinbefore defined with reference to the accompanying Figures.