GB2593471A

GB2593471A - Toilet seat fixing

Info

Publication number: GB2593471A
Application number: GB2004193.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Lorenzo Darren; Lorenzo Ricardo
Original assignee: Inventive Creations Ltd
Current assignee: Inventive Creations Ltd
Priority date: 2020-03-23
Filing date: 2020-03-23
Publication date: 2021-09-29
Also published as: GB202004193D0

Abstract

A toilet seat fitting 10 comprises a deformable body component 12 and a head component 20, wherein the body component 12 has a first diameter in an initial position (Fig 4) of the head component and a second diameter in a second, expanded position of the head component, wherein the head component 20 extends into a bore extending from one end of the body component. Preferably the head component 20 is frustoconical. The body component forms an interference fit with the toilet pan in the deformed position for connecting the toilet seat hinge to the toilet. Also included is a toilet pan and seat hinge arrangement, and also a method of securing a toilet seat to a toilet pans using the toilet seat fixing 10.

Description

Toilet seat fitting The invention relates to a fitting for attaching a toilet seat hinge to a toilet.

It is commonly known when attaching a standard toilet seat to a toilet pan, that when tightening the bolt or screw that secures the toilet seat to the toilet, it requires the user to reach under and behind the back of the toilet pan to attach the nut and washer to the bolt that has gone through the toilet seat and the toilet pan. This is an awkward task for the user which is made more difficult due to the lack of sight of the bolt or screw that is under and behind the toilet pan.

Within the prior art, attempts to overcome this problem include W02004/090353 Al, which discloses a means of using additional components, such as a post being made of a resilient material, that are put through the toilet pan to which the toilet seat can be attached. The post is non-deformable, meaning the user has to exert considerable force to push the post into the aperture, which can be problematic and unsuitable if the aperture of the pan is not of a conventional size and therefore does not fit properly. Another example to overcome this problem is found in DE102017121682 Al, which discloses a toilet seat fastening that is connected to the toilet seat and is insertable into the aperture of the toilet pan. The device however provides the disadvantage that the fastenings are attached to the toilet seat first before being put into the toilet pan. This can be problematic if the apertures on the toilet seat are not of a conventional size, in addition to providing labour for the user for attaching the fastenings to the seat. Another example to overcome this problem is found in JP3630260 B2, which discloses a toilet seat mounting structure that requires the user to attach an installation plate for mounting the toilet seat unit to the toilet bowl. This however provides the disadvantage of the user having to physically attach a plate to the toilet seat and toilet bowl, providing additional labour for the user, in addition to being potentially problematic if the plate is not universally applied with any toilet seat.

The present invention seeks to provide a fitting which is simple to install and provides a reliable and robust attachment for a toilet seat hinge to the toilet pan.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a toilet seat fitting for fixing a toilet seat hinge to a toilet pan comprising a deformable body component and a head component, wherein the body component has an initial external diameter in a first position of the head component and an expanded external diameter in a second position of the head component where the head component extends into a bore extending from one end of the body component. The invention thus provides a very simple yet reliable way to fasten the hinge to the toilet pan.

Normally the head component is rigid as this provides strength to the connection. The head component will thus normally comprises an inelastic polymer, such as a suitable polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, nylon or polyvinyl chloride. However, it can be made from a metal such as stainless steel or brass, but the rigid plastic is preferred for cost and also for durability in use. The head component will normally be threaded for simple engagement with the fixing means and will often be provided with a metal insert, such as a brass or stainless steel, fixed therewithin for reliability of the threaded engagement with the fixing component. The head component may be frustoconical.

The body component preferably comprises a plurality of ribs, e.g. 3 or 4, extending in to the bore and arranged to prevent rotation of the head component when in the bore, e.g. by cooperation with corresponding projections from the surface of the head component. By pulling the head component into the body component the fixing is made such that it can be tightened without the need for the head component to be held below the toilet pan which greatly simplifies installation. Furthermore, with appropriate selection of the various components the entire fixing can be fitted from above the hinge which is vital for top fit installations.

The body component will preferably be made from a polymer with a high static coefficient of friction to ceramics and porcelain, such as a thermoplastic elastomer and/or rubber. A softer material that grips the surface of the toilet pan and head component provides a fitting that is less likely to break or become loose over time and can be tightened to a high torque without risking damage to the toilet pan.

Normally, the body component is pipe-shaped in the first position with the bore extending therethrough and the bore flares outwardly towards the one end as this allows for a gradual tightening of the fixing. The body component may comprise a flange at a second end thereof, where the flange has a maximum external diameter greater than the initial diameter. The flange can be used to prevent the body component slipping through the toilet pan opening which simplifies installation and greatly facilitates top on installation.

A fixing component is normally provided which extends from the second end of the body component through the bore to matingly engage the head component. The fixing component is normally threaded, e.g. a bolt, and rotation of the fixing component moves the head component from the first position to the second position.

In order to provide top fixing, the combined body component and head component are joined together in the first position and sized to be inserted through the opening in the toilet pan for securing the toilet seat to the toilet pan.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a toilet pan and toilet seat hinge arrangement where the toilet seat is secured to the toilet pan with a toilet fixing according to the first aspect of the invention.

In order to ensure a secure installation, the body component is sized so that the initial external diameter is slightly less than the opening in the toilet pan, so that it is pressed hard against the opening in the second position.

To ensure that the fitting can be immovably tightened in the toilet pan, it is preferred that the maximum diameter of the head portion is slightly, e.g. 1 to 3 mm, less than the size of the opening.

Thus this aspect of the invention can provide a secure fixing with a shank of the fixing component extending through a hole in the toilet seat hinge through the bore in the body component into the head component, the body component extend through the opening in the toilet pan in the first position, and wherein, in the second position, the toilet seat hinge is securely fastened against the toilet pan.

In particular, the arrangement can provide the toilet fixing arranged to be insertable from the hinge side of the toilet pan in the initial position to allow top fixing.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a toilet method of securing a toilet seat to a toilet pan including the steps of: a) providing a toilet fixing according to the first aspect of the invention; b) inserting the body component through the opening in the toilet pan from a hinge side thereof; c) moving the head component from the first position into the second position so that the body component transitions from the initial external diameter which fits within the said opening in the toilet pan to the expanded external diameter where the body portion tightly presses in said opening.

Preferably, rotation of the fixing means draws the head component into the bore of the body component.

In all aspects, the invention may be used with standard, commercially available toilet seat hinges and toilet pans. As such, the invention can be retro-fitted to existing installations. The invention is particularly useful as it can be used for top fit toilet installation where there is no access to underneath the toilet pan which is particularly common in commercial installation. Normally, in all aspects, the fixing can be used only once with a replacement fixing being required if the toilet seat is removed/replaced and then re-fitted.

The invention will now be illustrated by way of example with reference to the following drawings: Figure 1 shows an embodiment of the toilet seat fitting comprising the body component and the head component connected by a screw fixing means; Figure 2 shows details of the body component including internal openings shown in broken outline; Figure 3 shows details of the head component including internal openings shown in broken outline; and Figure 4 shows a cross-section through a fixing according to the invention when in situ holding a toilet seat hinge to a toilet pan.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 1. The toilet seat fitting 10 4 comprises a deformable body component 12, a head component 20 and a fixing component 30. The body component 12 has a first external diameter in the illustrated position. A threaded shank 32 of the fixing component 30 extends through a bore in the body component 12 and extends therefrom in to and through the head component 20.

As shown best in Figure 2, the body component 12 is pipe-like with a central bore extending longitudinally therethrough from proximal end 14 juxtaposed with the head component 20 (in Figure 1) to distal end 15. The body component 12 has an integral flange 16 extending from the distal end 15. The bore has a diameter just greater than the shank 32 from the distal end 15 but towards the proximal end 14, the bore flares outwardly to form a frustoconical internal space at the proximal end 14. There are 4 longitudinal ribs 18 evenly distributed around the diameter of the bore wall projecting in to the frustoconical space. The body component 12 is formed from a thermoplastic elastomer rubber which has a soft surface yet forms a self-supporting cylinder.

As shown in Figure 3, the head component 20 has a cylindrical first portion 22 and a second integral frustoconical portion 24, both formed from a rigid polypropylene. The head component 20 has a brass insert 26 tightly fitted within a channel through the first portion 22 and the insert 26 has longitudinal ribs to prevent rotation of the insert within the channel. The insert 26 has an internal bore that has an internal thread which cooperates with the thread on the shank 32. The second portion 24 has four evenly distributed ribs 28 that are angled longitudinally on the external surface of the second portion 14.

The fixing means 30 comprises a threaded elongate shank 32 having a diameter of about 5 mm and a head 34 of greater diameter than the shank 32. The shank 32 extends through the bore in the body component 12 and into and through the head component 20 where the thread of the shank 32 engages the internal thread of the insert 26 to thereby fix the components together. In the illustrated embodiment, the body component 12 has an external diameter of about 15 mm and length of about 35 mm in the initial configuration of the toilet seat fitting. The internal bore of the body component has a diameter of about 6 mm at the distal end 15 and opens at the proximal end 14 to about 12 mm. The integral flange 16 has a diameter of about 20 mm. The cylindrical first portion 22 of the head component 20 has an external diameter of about 12 mm.

In the initial configuration of the toilet seat fitting 10, seen in Figure 4, the head component 20 is in a first position where the frustoconical surface of the second portion 24 just abuts the internal frustoconical surface of the body component 12 at the proximal end 14. To fix a toilet seat hinge 36 to a toilet pan, the fixing component 30 is rotated in the appropriate direction such that the thread on the shank 32 rotates in the head component 20 and causes the head component 20 to be pulled into the bore of the body component 12-the ribs 28 on the second portion 24 of the head component 24 engage with the ribs 18 within the inner wall of the body component 12 to prevent rotation of the head component 20 relative to the body component 12 and so the head component 20 forcibly engages the inner surface of the body component 12. The body component 12 deforms being shortened and having the external diameter increased.

In use, the toilet seat fitting 10 secures a toilet seat hinge 36 to a toilet pan 38. The fixing component 30 is first separate from the remainder of the fitting 10 and the shank 32 is inserted through an opening in the toilet seat hinge 36 until stopped by the greater diameter of the head 34; a washer may be inserted between the head 34 and the hinge 36 (embodiment not shown). The remainder of the fitting 10 is then assembled on the shank 32 in the initial configuration. The toilet seat fitting is then inserted through an opening in the toilet pan which opening will be of slightly greater diameter than the external diameter of the body portion in said initial configuration. As described above, as the fixing component 30 is appropriately rotated, the body component deforms such that it can no longer pass through the opening in the toilet pan. The toilet seat hinge thus becomes fixedly secured to the toilet pan. Normally toilet seats have a pair of toilet seat hinges, or a pair of fixing points, and so normally the fittings of the invention will be used in pairs.

All components will be made from materials suitable for the environment on a toilet, which tend to be wet and often alkali. The material must also be resistant to cleaning products, such as bleach. Toilet seat pans are normally made of ceramic or porcelain, though they can also be made of metal or other robust material. Toilet seat hinges tend to be made from stainless steel or other suitable metal.

Claims

Claims: 1. A toilet seat fitting for fixing a toilet seat hinge to a toilet pan comprising a deformable body component and a head component, wherein the body component has an initial external diameter in a first position of the head component and an expanded external diameter in a second position of the head component where the head component extends into a bore extending from one end of the body component.
2. The toilet seat fitting according to claim 1, wherein the head component is rigid.
3. The toilet seat fitting according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the head component comprises an inelastic polymer, such as a suitable polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, nylon or polyvinyl chloride.
4. The toilet seat fitting according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the head component has a metal insert, such as a brass or stainless steel, fixed therewithin.
5. The toilet seat fitting according to any one of the preceding claims, where the head component is frustoconical.
6. The toilet seat fitting according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the head component, or metal insert thereof, is threaded.
7. The toilet seat fitting according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the body component comprises a plurality of ribs, e.g. 3 or 4, extending in to the bore and arranged to prevent rotation of the head component when in the bore.
8. The toilet seat fitting according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body component comprises a polymer with a high static coefficient of friction to ceramics and porcelain, such as a thermoplastic elastomer and/or rubber.
9. The toilet seat fitting according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body component is pipe-shaped in the first position with the bore extending the rethrough.
10. The toilet seat fitting according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the bore flares outwardly towards the one end.
11. The toilet seat fitting according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body component comprises a flange at a second end thereof, where the flange has a maximum external diameter greater than the initial diameter.
12. The toilet seat fitting according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a fixing component that extends from the second end of the body component through the bore to matingly engage the head component.
13. The toilet seat fitting according to claim 12, wherein the fixing component is threaded, e.g. a bolt, and rotation of the fixing component moves the head component from the first position to the second position.14. The toilet seat fitting according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the combined body component and head component are joined together in the first position and arranged to be inserted through the opening in the toilet pan for securing the toilet seat to the toilet pan in the first position.
14. A toilet pan and toilet seat hinge arrangement where the toilet seat is secured to the toilet pan with a toilet fixing according to any one of claims 1 to 13.
15. The arrangement according to claim 14, wherein the toilet pan has an opening and the body component is sized so that the initial external diameter is slightly less than the opening which ensures that it the body component is immovably located in the opening in the second position.
16. The arrangement according to either claim 14 or claim 15, wherein the maximum diameter of the head portion is slightly, e.g. 1 to 3 mm, less than the size of the opening in the toilet pan.
17. The arrangement according to any one of claims 14 to 16, wherein a shank of the fixing component extends through a hole in the toilet seat hinge through the bore in the body component into the head component, the body component extend through the opening in the toilet pan in the first position, and wherein, in the second position, the toilet seat hinge is securely fastened against the toilet pan.
18. The arrangement according to any one of claims 14 to 17, wherein the toilet fixing is arranged to be insertable from the hinge side of the toilet pan in the initial position.
19. A method of securing a toilet seat to a toilet pan including the steps of: a) providing a toilet fixing according to anyone of claims 1 to 13; b) inserting the body component through the opening in the toilet pan from a hinge side thereof; c) moving the head component from the first position into the second position so that the body component transitions from the initial external diameter which fits within the said opening in the toilet pan to the expanded external diameter where the body portion tightly presses in said opening.
20. The method of claim 19, where rotation of the fixing means draws the head component into the bore of the body component.
21. The method of claim 19 or claim 20, using the arrangement of any one of claims 14 to 18.