US3340546A

US3340546A - Toilet seat for infants

Info

Publication number: US3340546A
Application number: US485265A
Authority: US
Inventors: Alex H Moore; Louis H Barnett
Original assignee: LOMA IND
Current assignee: LOMA IND
Priority date: 1965-09-07
Filing date: 1965-09-07
Publication date: 1967-09-12
Anticipated expiration: 1984-09-12

Description

Sept. 12, 1967 A. H. MOORE ETAL TOILET SEAT FOR NFANTS Sheets-Sheet l Filed Sept.

Sept. 12, 1957 A. H. MOORE ETAL TOILET SEAT FOR INFANTS Filed sept.

2 Sheets-Sheet United States Patent O 3,340,546 TILET SEAT FOR INFANTS Alex H. Moore and Louis H. Barnett, Fort Worth, Tex.,

assignors to Loma Industries, Fort Worth, Tex., a corporation of Texas Filed Sept. 7, 1965, Ser. No. 485,265 7 Claims. (Cl. 4-239) This invention relates to a childs toilet seat Iassembly that can be mounted on a conventional toilet and moved between a position of use and a storage position adjacent the toilet bowl without being disconnected from the toilet and Without interfering with the normal use of the toilet. It is more particularly concerned with such Ian auxiliary toilet seat assembly that can be simply and economically manufactured in a minimum number of parts, most of which can be molded of plastic.

An object of this invention is a childs toilet seat assembly that can be molded in two major pieces.

Another object is a support bracket for a childs toilet seat that can be molded in a single piece. Y

Another object is a pivot means fora childs toilet seat assembly that can be economically manufactured 'and easily assembled.

Another object is a support bracket that can be slipped over the toilet bowl rim and held thereto by built-in clamping action.

Another object is a molded auxiliary toilet seat having an integral raised portion molded adjacent the opening at the front of the seat to act as a urine deliector.

Another object is a molded auxiliary toilet seat having an integral raised portion adjacent the rear edge of said seat to assist in holding a child on the seat.

Other purposes will appear in the ensuing specification, claims and drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the childs toilet seat assembly of our invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 4 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the auxiliary seat in the storage position;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view of the support bracket; and

FIGURE 6 is -au enlarged plan view of the locking ring.

The childs or auxiliary toilet seat vassem'by of -my invention can be used on a conventional toilet which usually includes a bowl 10 having a rim 11 and a seat 12. Our assembly includes an auxiliary or childs toilet seat 13 yand a support member 14 which is connected to the childs toilet seat and adapted to be mounted on the rim of the toilet bowl at the side of the toilet.

The auxiliary or childs toilet seat 13 may be molded of a plastic such as polypropylene in an integral piece of inverted channel cross-section having a generally annular shape with the inner leg 15 of the channel defining a central opening 16 extending therethrough. The upper surface 17, that is the surface facing upwardly when the auxiliary seat is in its position of use on the main toilet seat, is generally flat, but has a sloping portion 18 which blends into a raised portion 19 of the inner channel leg 15 located at the front of the central opening. This raised portion functions as a urine deiiector. A portion of the upper surface is also raised at 20 along the rear of the seat to function as a back stop to position a child on the auxiliary seat.

Also formed as part of the auxiliary toilet seat is a handle 22 Iand a laterally'extending arm 23, the handle and the arm being located on opposite sides of the seat. A plurality of strengthening ribs 24, in this case three, are uniformly spaced around the seat on the under side line 3,340,546 Patented Sept. 12, 1967 thereof and extend radially and outwardly from the channel leg 15 defining central opening 16.

The bracket 14 maybe molded in one piece from polypropylene or similar plastic and includes a flat elongated base 30 adapted to rest on the toilet rim and extend outwardly thereof in a generally horizontal plane and a pair of spaced downwardly depending

legs

31 and 32. The outer leg 31 is strengthened by a reinforcing rib 33 so as to stiften it against lateral movement. The inner leg 32 is not reinforced and is relatively liexible to permit it to be bent laterally away from the other leg. The legs are formed so that in their unbent position the

lower portions

34 and 35 respectively of the

legs

31 and 32 are closer together than their `respective

upper portions

36 and 37 which connect to the base 30.

Molded integrally with the fiat elongated base 30 of the bracket 14 is Iau arm 38 which extends from the outer end 39 of the base in an -upwardly inclined direction to overlie the base. As shown in the drawings, the angle of inclination between the base and the Iarrn is approximately 45 but this angle is merely preferable, not critical, and the angular relationship of the arm relative to the base of the support may =be varied from this angle. An elongated longitudinally extending slot 40 is formed in this arm.

The auxiliary seat arm 23 is coined or scored intermediate its ends at 45 to form a hinge permitting the outer end 46 of this arm to be folded beneath the base portion 47 thereof. Molded integrally as part of the outer end of the seat arm is a pivot post 48 which is adapted to be pivotally supported and guided in the elongated slot 40 in the bracket arm 38. 'I'he pivot post is held in the slot by an annular ring 49 having inwardly and radially projecting teeth 50 which can dig into the pivot post when the ring is forced over the end of the post. The outer diameter of the ring is made greater than the width of the slot, so that the ring will engage the bracket larm and hold the post in the slot. This construction permits limited movement of the seat arm and post relative to the bracket. While our invention is shown with the pivot post formed integrally withthe base arm and the slot formed in the bracket arm, it should be realized that the relative positions of these parts can be reversed without departing from the scope of this invention.

The use, operation and function of our invention are as follows:

The childs or `auxiliary toilet seat assembly of our invention is intended to be installed on a conventional toilet bowl so as to be movable between a position of use in which it rests on the main toilet seat and a storage position located alongside the toilet bowl. To permit movement between these positions, the auxiliary seat 12 is arranged so that it can be pivoted about a generally vertical axis located to the side of the toilet and also can be moved about a hinge located Igenerally in the plane of the toilet seat. This double jointed or universal movement of the toilet seat permits it to be lifted off the main toilet seat, swung to the side of the toilet and then folded down alongside of the toilet bowl.

Our invention is particularly concerned with an auxiliary toilet seat of the above described type which can be economically manufactured lby plastic molding. To this end, the assembly is constructed of three parts, the main seat and the support bracket, each of which is separately molded of plastic such as polypropylene, and a locking ring which is made of metal. 'Ihe hinge connection between the seat and the bracket includes a pivot post formed integrally with the seat arm and a slot formed in the bracket arm with the locking ring tting over the end of the pivot post after the post is inserted through the slot to thereby secure these parts in a pivoting relationship. The hinge means in the seat arm is formed by coining or scoring the upper surface-of this arm during or after the molding process.

The support bracket 14 is constructed so that it can be slipped over the rimV of va toilet bowl'at the side thereof and clamped in place automatically. This clamping action is provided by the depending legs, the downwardly extending free ends of which are bowed towards each other to provide a spacing between the ends that is less than the spacing between their connections to the support bracket. Thus, when the depending legs are slipped over the rim of the toilet, the rim forces the legs apart and the resilience of the legs clamps them against the toilet bowl. For stability and control of the clamping action pressure, one leg is made relatively stiff and the other is made more flexible.

For simplicity of construction, a urine detiector and a back stop are molded integrally with the auxiliary seat. The molding of these parts integrally with the seat not only reduces cost of construction and assembly, but facilitates the cleaning of the seat.

We claim:

1. A childs toilet seat assembly for mounting on a toilet including a support member adapted to rest on the rim of the toilet bowl and having a pair of spaced depending legs at least one of which is biased to clamp the legs respectively against the inner and outer walls of said toilet bowl,

an inclined arm attached to said support member and extending upwardly in a direction towards the toilet bowl,

an auxiliary toilet seat adapted to rest on the toilet bowl seat,

an arm formed as part of said auxiliary seat and extending laterally thereof, hinge means located intermediate the ends of said .arm to permit folding of said arm upon itself,

pivotal means connecting saidinclined arm and said auxiliary seat arm to permit said seat to be rotated about an axis inclined from the vertical and extending upwardly in a direction away from said toilet bowl,

said pivotal means including a pivot post formed as part of one of said arms, an elongated slot to receive and guide said pivot post formed in the other of said arms and extending longitudinally thereof, and locking means to hold said post in said slot.

2. The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that said depending legs are bowed towards each other with one of said legs being relatively stiff and the other -of said legs being relatively flexible to permit lateral bending thereof away from said stiff leg.

3. The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that said pivot post locking means comprises an annular ring having an outer diameter greater than the width of said slot and inwardly projecting teeth adapted to bite shape of inverted channel cross-section with the inner leg of the channel defining a central opening extending therethrough, a generally flat top surface surrounding said opening and a portion of said top surface being sloped to rise above said'surface and to intersect a raisedportion of said channel inner leg to function as a urine deflector.

6. The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that said auxiliary seat is molded in an annular shape having a central opening therethrough, a generally flat top surface surrounding said opening with a portion of said top surface at the rear of said seat being raised above said surface.

7. A cln'lds toilet seat assembly for mounting on a i toilet including a support member adapted to rest on the rim of thev toilet bowl and having a pair of spaced depending legs at least one of which i s biased to clamp the legs. respectively against the inner and outer walls of said toilet bowl,

an inclined arm attached to said support member and v extending upwardly in a direction'towardsV the toilet bowl,

an auxiliary toilet seat adapted to rest on the toilet bowl seat,

an arm formed as part of said auxiliary seat and extending laterally thereof,

hinge means located intermediate the ends of said arm to permit folding of said arm upon itself,

pivotal means connecting said inclined arm and said auxiliary seat arm to permit said seat to be rotated about an axis inclined from the vertical and extending upwardly in a direction away from said toilet bowl,

said pivotal means including a pivot post lformed as part of one of said arms, at least one opening toV receive said pivot post for pivotal movement formed in the other of said arms, and locking means to hold said post in said opening.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,704,878 3/1929 Bell et al 4-239 2,518,272 8/ 1950 Beckwith 4--239 2,804,630 9/1957 Gould 4-239 2,992,439 7/ 1961 Vantassel 4-239 LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner. HAROLD J. GROSS, Examiner.

Claims

1. A CHILD''S TOILET SEAT ASSEMBLY FOR MOUNTING ON A TOILET INCLUDING A SUPPORT MEMBER ADAPTED TO REST ON THE RIM OF THE TOILET BOWL AND HAVING A PAIR OF SPACED DEPENDING LEGS AT LEAST ONE OF WHICH IS BIASED TO CLAMP THE LEGS RESPECTIVELY AGAINST THE INNER AND OUTER WALLS OF SAID TOILET BOWL, AN INCLINED ARM ATTACHED TO SAID SUPPORT MEMBER AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY IN A DIRECTION TOWARDS THE TOILET BOWL, AN AUXILIARY TOILET SEAT ADAPTED TO REST ON THE TOILET BOWL SEAT, AN ARM FORMED AS PART OF SAID AUXILIARY SEAT AND EXTENDING LATERALLY THEREOF, HINGE MEANS LOCATED INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS OF SAID ARM TO PERMIT FOLDING OF SAID ARM UPON ITSELF, PIVOTAL MEANS CONNECTING SAID INCLINED ARM AND SAID AUXILIARY SEAT ARM TO PERMIT SAID SEAT TO BE ROTATED ABOUT AN AXIS INCLINED FROM THE VERTICAL AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY IN A DIRECTION AWAY FROM SAID TOILET BOWL, SAID PIVOTAL MEANS INCLUDING A PIVOT POST FORMED AS PART OF ONE OF SAID ARMS, AN ELONGATED SLOT TO RECEIVE AND GUIDE SAID PIVOT POST FORMED IN THE OTHER OF SAID ARMS AND EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY THEREOF, AND LOCKING MEANS TO HOLD SAID POST IN SAID SLOT.