US3609775A - Toilet seat assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

TOILET SEAT ASSEMBLY HAVING A CHILD''S SEAT HINGEDLY RECESSED INTO THE COVER OF A TOILET SEAT, THERE BEING PROVIDED A CENTRAL RING IN THE COVER FOR REMOVABLY RETAINING A DEODORANT. THE CHILD''S PORTION HAS A SPLASH GUARD AND A HARNESS INCLUDING A BACK SUPPORT AND A RETAINED STRAP. DETENTS REMOVABLY RETAIN THE CHILD''S SEAT RECESSED INTO THE COVER.

Description

Oct. 5, 1971 R p, LE|TER EI'AL TOILET SEAT ASSEMBLY Filed Aug. 26, 1968 g, INVENTORS 5" 7 ROBERT P LEIITEF? THO/AAS a. \VARE Patented Oct. 5., 1971 3,609,775 TOILET SEAT ASSEMBLY Robert P. Leiter and Thomas G. Ware, Atlanta, Ga.,

assignors to Robert Paul Leiteiand Thomas G. Ware,

both of Atlanta, Ga.

Filed Aug. 26, 1968, Ser. No. 755,137 Int. Cl. E03d 9/02 US. Cl. 4230 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Toilet seat assembly having a childs seat hingedly recessed into the cover of a toilet seat, there being provided a central ring in the cover for removably retaining a deodorant. The childs seat portion has a splash guard and a harness including a back support and a retaining strap. Detents removably retain the childs seat recessed into the cover.

This invention relates to a toilet seat and is more particularly concerned with a toilet seat assembly which provides for the selective use of an appropriate size seat and for disinfecting and deodorizing the assembly.

In the past, toilet seat assemblies which include an adult seat, a childs seat and a cover secured to each other for pivoting about a common transverse axis have been utilized. Such prior art toilet seats, however, have been difiicult to employ, in that the childs seat tends to become stuck in its recessed position in the cover.

Briefly described, the present invention, which tends to obviate the difiiculties described above, includes a conventional adult or main toilet seat pivotally carried by a transverse rod of the mounting member in the usual way. Above the adult seat is a childs secondary seat which is also pivotally carried by the same transverse rod so as to pivot downwardly and come to rest on top of the adult seat. Above the childs seat is a cover which is pivotally carried by the same transverse rod so that, when not in use, the childs seat may pivot into a recessed position in the cover, there being provided an appropriate opening in the cover for receiving the childs seat. The central portion of the cover has a disinfectant or deodorant cup provided with side walls which conform generally to the shape of the childs seat so as to project through the opening when the childs seat is received in the cover. This side wall of the cup is perforated and defines a chamber for removably receiving a disinfectant or deodorant block. The present invention also incorporates opposed detents in the form of yieldable latches which retain the childs seat in an appropriately recessed condition in the cover.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a toilet seat assembly in which a seat portion thereof is periodically subjected to disinfectant or deodorant.

Another object of the present invntion is to provide a toilet seat assembly which is inexpensive to manufacture, durable in structure, and efiicient in operation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a toilet seat assembly which is selectively capable of being utilized comfortably by an adult or by a child, the assembly being readily converted from being used by an adult to being used by a child, and vice-versa.

Another object of the present invention is to provide, in a toilet seat assembly, an efiicient means for disinfecting or deodorizing the seat, periodically.

Another object of the present invention is to provide in a toilet seat assembly wherein the toilet is recessed in the cover, a ready and eflicient means for yieldably retaining the seat in its recessed condition.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a toilet seat assembly wherein a childs seat, having a splash guard, may be recessed into the cover.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a toilet seat assembly of the type having a childs seat incorporated therewith, the assembly being relatively lightweight and inexpensive and the childs seat being essentially concealed when it is not in use.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a toilet seat assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention, the childs seat being recessed in the cover and the cover being opened;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 and showing the childs seat being pivoted downwardly into position for use;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of the splash guard incorporated in the childs seat of the seat assembly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a detail of the assembly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of the detent mechanism utilized for retaining the childs seat in the cover of the toilet seat assembly disclosed in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of the cover and childs seat portion of the toilet seat assembly disclosed in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of the cover of the toilet seat assembly disclosed in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Referring now in detail to the embodiment chosen for the purpose of illustrating the present invention, it being understood that in its broader "aspects, the present invention is not limited to the exact details herein depicted, numeral 10 denotes generally the adult or main seat of the toilet assembly. This main seat 10 is conventional in construction, preferably being formed from plastic by injecting molding. The main seat 10 includes an upper annular surface 11 and an inwardly and downwardly inclined inner surface 12, integrally joined together, the inner periphery 13 of the surface being oval or elliptical to define a central opening 14 therein. At the rear of its outer edge, seat 10 is bifurcated to provide a pair of spaced, parallel, rearwardly extending arms 15 which pivotally receive and journal a transverse shaft or rod- 16, seen in FIG. 4. As is conventional, a pair of opposed brackets 17, seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, support the rod 16 in a transverse or horizontal position, the brackets 17 being secured on the top of a conventional commode so as to provide support and permit the pivoting of the toilet seat assembly thereabout.

Above the main seat 10 is a childs seat 20 which, while being smaller than the main seat 10, nevertheless includes the usual annulus, having a convex central surface or annulus 22. Outwardly of the upper surface 21, the childs seat 20 is flat, as indicated at numeral 23. Thus, provided is a flat outer annulus 23 which is integrally connected to a concaved central annulus 21 which, in turn, is connected to an inwardly and downwardly projecting annulus 22, the annulus 22 terminating on a plane with the bottom surface or outer annulus 23.

The inner annulus 22 is provided with an oval or elliptical opening 24 which is in registry with the opening 14, when the childs seat 20 is resting upon and parallel to the adults seat 10. A central rearwardly extending arm 25 on seat 20 journals the rod 16 and is received on that 3 rod between the arms 15. Thus, it is seen that the childs seat 20 is adapted to pivot about a common transverse axis along rod 16 with respect to the adults seat 10.

In the front portion of the inner annulus 22 and the central annulus 21 is an inwardly opening U-shaped slot or aperture 26 which has a U-shaped reinforcing rib 27, seen in FIG. 1, surrounding its three sides. The ends of rib 27 join in annulus 22. A splash deflector 28 is pivotally mounted by a pivot pin 29 in the recess 26 so that it may pivot upwardly and forwardly, rotating about the pivot pin 29. The pivot pin 29 is disposed parallel to rod 16.

The splash guard 28 is so contoured as to conform to the upper surface of the childs seat 20 when the splash guard 28 is depressed to the position shown in full lines in FIG. 3. The splash guard 28, however, may be pivoted to the position shown in broken lines in FIG. 3, when desired. The upper end portion 30 of the splash guard 28 is arcuate or convex, and, when the splash guard 28 is in its recessed position in the aperture 26, it projects rearwardly beyond the inner edge of the seat 20.

Outwardly of the splash guard 28, the flat annulus 23 is provided with downwardly projecting stops 31 along the outer periphery of outer annulus 23. These stops 31 open outwardly, lboth upwardly and for receiving bumpers 62, to be described more fully hereinafter.

The cover 40, is also pivotally connected to the seats and 20, the cover 40 having a pair of rearwardly extending arms 41 which are pivotally received between the arms and the arm 25. The arms 41 are also journaled on the rod 16.

As best seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, the cover 40 includes a relatively flat wide annular outer plate 42, the central portion of which is integrally connected to a downwardly projecting oval shaped deodorant or disinfectant cup, denoted generally by numeral 50. The deodorant cup 50 has a continuous wall 51 perpendicular to plate 42, the upper edge portion of cup 50 being integrally connected to the inner periphery of the flat upper plate 42.

The wall 51 depends from plate 42 and is integrally joined along its lower edge by a bottom plate 52. The wall 51 is provided with spaced holes or apertures 53, by means of which the interior cavity 54, defined by Wall 51 and bottom plate 52, communicates with the chamber 80 formed between the seat and. cover 40 when seat 20 is received by cover 40.

An appropriately shaped flat lid 55, having a continuous lip 56 projecting downwardly from its peripheral portion, closes on the cup 50, the downwardly projecting lip 56 engaging the inner surface of wall 51 for frictionally holding the lid 55 in place on the cup 50.

A suitable solid chemical block, such as a deodorant or disinfectant block 59, is carried in the chamber 54 of cup 50 and fumes therefrom pass through the openings or holes 53 into chamber 80.

The wall 51, along its front surface, is concaved, at numeral 57 so as to conform generally to the convex upper end 30 of the splash guard 28, when the splash guard 28 is in its retracted position as shown in FIG. 3, and when the childs seat 20 is folded into registry with the cover 40.

The cover plate 42 of cover 40, along its outer periphery is curved downwardly to provide an arcuate edge 60 conforming along its inner surface generally to the shape and size of the outer edge of annulus 23. On opposite sides on the inner surface of the rim or edge 60 and the plate 42, the cover 40 is provided with a pair of opposed downwardly projecting mounting blocks 61. The rubber bumpers 62 project downwardly from these mounting blocks 61 and are adapted to be received in the stops 31 when the childs seat 20 is brought into registry with the cover 40.

It will be understood that the lower surface of rim and bottom plate 52 are in a common plane and that the outer periphery of the outer annulus 23 is received in the inner periphery of the rim 60. Also, the wall 51 conforms generally to the shape of the opening 24 in the childs seat and cover is so dimensioned that when the seat 20 is pivoted against the cover, it registers with the cover 40, such that the cup protrudes through the opening 24 when the inward movement of annulus 23 is arrested by blocks 61, as illustrated in FIG. 5.

In order to yieldably retain the seat in its recessed or in registry position in the cover 40, a pair of opposed, forwardly protruding, spring loaded finger detents or latches are carried by bottom plate 52. In more detail, each latch or detent 70, as seen in FIG. 5, includes a plunger shaft 71 having a head 72 at one end, the shaft 71 being urged outwardly by means of spring 73. The spring 73 and the shaft 71 are received in a housing 74 which is integrally formed on the bottom surface 52 of the cup 50. An abutment plate 75 within the housing 74 forms a reaction member against which the spring 73 acts. Furthermore, a plate 76 at the forward end of housing 74 limits forward movement of head 72 so that it protrudes beyond the inner edge of annulus 22 and holds seat 20 in its recessed position. Therefore, the head 72 is permitted to move rearwardly against the spring compression of spring 73 when the seat is removed from its recessed position.

The detents 70 are so arranged that, as the seat 20 is moved into its recessed position, as illustrated in FIG. 1, these detents engage opposite forward portions of the inner periphery of seat 20. Since these detents 70 are inwardly and are generally located in a central position on the cover, the grasping of the childs seat through the opening 63 permits considerable leverage to be exerted in removing the childs seat 20 from the cover 40.

It is seen that the childs seat 40 is in its recessed position, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 6, this seat 20 does not conceal the openings 53 in the cup 50. Hence, the fumes eminating from the deodorant or disinfectant block 59 can permeate the annular space or chamber 80 between the cover 40 and the childs seat 20. Hence, each time the childs seat 20 is recessed into the cover, it is subjected to a deodorizing and sanitizing effect.

It will also be observed that the bumpers 62 project below the lid 40 and, therefore, in the event that thechilds seat 20 is removed from the toilet seat assembly, the cover 40 acts as a conventional cover without alteration. Furthermore, the stops 31, in addition to receiving the bumpers 62, rest upon the seat 10 when the seat 20 is positioned parallel to seat 10 and thereby support seat 20.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many variations may be made in the embodiment chosen for the purpose of illustrating the present invention without departing from the scope thereof as defined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A toilet seat assembly comprising:

(a) a main toilet seat having a central hole;

(b) a secondary toilet seat having an inner periphery,

defining a central hole;

(c) a cover for the two toilet seats;

(d) pivot means pivotally connecting said cover said main seat and said secondary seat together, said secondary seat being disposed between said main seat and said cover;

(e) said cover being recessed along its inner surface for receiving said secondary seat therein;

(f) said cover being provided with a central portion for projecting through the hole in said secondary seat when said secondary seat is in registry with said cover; and

(g) detent means on said central portion for cooperating with the inner periphery of said secondary seat to yieldably latch said secondary seat in its recessed condition;

(h) said secondary seat pivoting about said pivot means to a position of rest on said main seat which positions the hole in said secondary seat in registry with the hole in said main seat;

(i) the central portion of said cover defining a cavity for containing a chemical block and said central portion being provided with apertures therethrough, through which fumes from said block may contact said secondary seat;

(j) said cover being provided in its central portion with a removable lid for providing access to said cavity.

2. A toilet seat assembly comprising a toilet seat provided with a central opening, a cover for said seat, pivot means for pivotally securing said seat and cover together, the cover being provided with a relatively shallow chamber of a shape and size corresponding to the shape and size of the toilet seat opening, and adapted to project slightly into and substantially fill such opening when the seat and cover are in juxtaposed position, stop means for holding the seat and cover a short distance apart when in such juxtaposed position, a rim projecting from the cover and adapted to closely surround the upper position of the seat when the movement of the seat has been thus arrested by the stop means, thus providing a closed annular space between the seat and cover, surrounding the said shallow chamber, the said chamber being adapted to receive a chemical block and having perforations in only the wall portion lying between the seat and cover, whereby fumes emitted by such a block will escape into the closed space between the seat and cover.

3. The toilet seat assembly defined in claim 2 including a second toilet seat pivotally carried by said pivot means, the first toilet seat being disposed between said cover and said second seat for resting on said second seat when said first seat is to be used.

4. The assembly defined in claim 3 including detent means on the said shallow chamber for latching the said first seat in position adjacent the cover.

5. The assembly defined in claim 4 wherein the detent means comprises a pair of spaced forwardly and outwardly extending spring loaded latches.

6. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the cover is provided, in its central portion, with a removable lid for pro viding access to said shallow chamber.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 658,982 10/1900 Fischer 4-230 1,196,427 8/1916 Brandenburg 4-235 1.739,001 12/ 1929 Justus 4-235 2,494,813 1/1950 Hughes 4-235 2,692,992 11/1954 Thimmes et al. 4-235 558,040 4/1896 Cherry 4-230 3,344,441 10/1967 Kelly 4-230 HENRY K. ARTIS, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 4-235

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