WO1993021811A1

WO1993021811A1 - A wc seat provided with a device for removing the seat covering

Info

Publication number: WO1993021811A1
Application number: PCT/FI1993/000061
Authority: WO
Inventors: Tapio Kordelin
Original assignee: Oy Shippax Ltd
Priority date: 1992-05-06
Filing date: 1993-02-22
Publication date: 1993-11-11
Also published as: FI922035A0; AU5155393A; EP0725591A1; FI88817C; FI88817B

Abstract

The WC seat relating to the invention consists of two essentially parallel seat boards, which are fixed to the inner wall of the WC premises by means of joints, so that the seat boards can be turned into an upright position when not in use. Before using the WC, these seat boards are intended to be covered with tubular seat covering (35), which is pulled over the seat boards before turning the boards into the lowered position. The seat relating to the invention is provided with a device, preferably with a flexible strip (40), which runs in the duct (30) in the seat board, the said duct changing into an open groove towards the front parts of the seat boards, the said strip being forced upwards, and thus pushing out of the groove and tearing or cutting the seat covering (35).

Description

A WC SEAT PROVIDED WITH A DEVICE FOR REMOVING THE SEAT COVERING

The object of the invention is a WC seat provided with a device for removing the covering paper on the seat boards. This type of a WC seat is particularly well suited for installation in a WC module intended for public premises, such as a railway station, airport, market place etc, or in connection with a ship cabin, as WC premises.

The WC seat relating to the invention consists of two essentially parallel seat boards, which are fixed to the inner wall of the WC premises by means of joints, so that the seat boards can be turned into an upright position when not in use. Before using the WC, these seat boards are intended to be covered with tubular WC paper, which is pulled over the seat boards before turning the boards into the lowered position. The novel aspect is that the seat is provided with a device which removes the seat coverings after use when the seat boards rise into the upright position.

The present WC seat is particularly well suited for a WC module which does not comprise a separate WC bowl, but where the WC bowl is formed as a direct continuation of the wall structure of the module. A particularly practical factor is that the roll of tubular WC paper is situated above the upturned seat boards, which means that pulling the seat covering over the seat boards before use of the WC is easy.

Removing the seat covering from the seat boards after using the WC has, however, proved to be problematic, because it is difficult to pull the tubular paper covering off by hand. It may thus often happen that the previous user of the WC leaves the used coverings on the seat boards, and it would thus be the following user's task to remove the previous user's coverings by hand. This is obviously unsatisfactory as regards hygiene.

The problem described above is solved with the seat boards relating to the invention which are provided with a device for removing the covering paper. By means of this paper tearing device the user can easily remove the cover paper, either manually or mechanically. In the same way, the user can easily and completely hygienically remove any cover papers left by the previous user.

The object of the invention is, therefore, a WC seat intended to be used with tubular seat covering, which seat can be turned into an upright position and which comprises two essentially parallel seat boards, fitted to the inner wall of the WC premises or to the WC bowl by means of joints, and possibly joined together at their joint-side parts with a cross member. Characteristic of the invention are elements which move backwards and forwards along each seat board, in a guide groove which runs essentially up to its free end, the said elements extending beyond the cross- sectional profile of the seat boards, for cutting the seat covering pulled over the seat boards and pushing it off the ^" seat boards when they are raised or in the upright position.

The invention, is exemplified below with reference to the appended drawings, in which

Figure 1 shows the WC seat when turned down and as seen from the front.

Figure 2 shows the WC seat of figure 1 when turned down and as seen from the side.

Figure 3 shows the WC seat of figure 1 as seen from above. Figure 4 shows the WC seat of figure 1 as seen from below.

Figure 5 shows the cross section of the WC paper intended as seat covering.

Figure 6 corresponds to figure 5 and shows a second embodiment of the seat covering.

Figure 7 corresponds to figure 5 and shows a third embodiment of the WC paper.

Figure 8 shows the WC seat provided with a seat covering and a device for removing the seat covering, as seen from the side, when the seat is turned up.

Figure 9 shows the WC seat provided with a device for removing the seat covering, as seen from the side, when turned up, in a situation where the seat covering has been torn.

Figure 10 corresponds to figure 8 as seen from the front.

Figure 11 corresponds to figure 9 as seen from the front.

Figure 12 shows the WC seat provided with seat covering and a device for removing the seat covering, as seen from the front, when turned down.

Figure 13 shows an element or strip intended for cutting the seat covering, the said strip running in the seat board groove.

Figure 14 shows the element or strip intended for cutting the seat covering when pushed out from the groove running in the seat board, thus forming an arch which cuts the seat covering. In figures 1 - 4, number 30 refers to the duct running inside the seat board. The duct 30 changes into an open groove 31 towards the front parts of the seat boards. The seat boards are fixed by joints to the inner wall of the WC premises by means of a hinge 32.

Figures 5 - 7 show the cross section of the tubular seat covering, that is, the WC paper, according to the various embodiments. The tubular covering, that is, the paper 35 is folded to form an enclosed tube which is seamed at point 36. The seam 36 may also be on the side, as shown in figure 6. According to the third embodiment shown in figure 7, the WC paper 35 can be made to consist of two parts in advance. In this case the seams 36 on the sides are as shown in figure 6, but there are also perforations at the seam 37 in the middle of the WC paper web, which facilitate dividing the web into two tubular bands.

Figure 8, which, shows the WC seat provided with seat covering and a device for removing the seat covering, also shows the element 40 for cutting or tearing the seat covering. Wire 42 which passes over a sheave 41, is fastened at one end to a lever 43 and at the other end to the rear part 47 of the removal element 40. When the free part 44 of the lever is pressed down, the seat covering removal element 40 is forced up and out of the groove 31, whereupon the seat covering 35 is torn or cut as shown in figure 9.

Figures 10 and 11 show how the removal elements 40 are connected to each other by means of cross stiffeners 46 to form a slide 45, which moves up when the free end 44 of the lever 43 is pressed down, thus causing the covering to be cut or torn, as shown in figure 11.

Figures 13 and 14 show one preferred embodiment for cutting or tearing the covering. In order for the covering to be torn or cut efficiently over its entire length, it is desirable for the arch 40 of the removal element to extend over the upturned seat boards, as shown in figure 9. This is achieved, for example, so that the front of the removal element 40 is fixed by joints 51 to a bar 50 moving back and forth in the seat board 53 duct, the said bar being equipped with a stopper 52 which stops the forward movement of the bar 50 at a desired point, when the removal element 40 pushes out of its groove.

It is obvious to a person skilled in the art that the different embodiments of the invention may vary within the scope of the claims given below.

Claims

1. A WC seat intended to be used with tubular seat covering (35), which seat can be turned into an upright position and which comprises two essentially parallel seat boards, fitted to the inner wall of the WC premises or to the WC bowl by means of joints, and possibly joined together at their joint-side parts with a cross member, characterized by elements (40) which move backwards and forwards along each seat board, in a guide groove (30, 31) which runs essentially up to its free end, the said elements extending beyond the cross-sectional profile of the seat boards, for cutting the seat covering (35) pulled over the seat boards and pushing it off the seat boards when they are raised or in the upright position.

2. A WC seat as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the seat covering removal elements (40) are flexible strips parallel with the seat boards, the said strips being connected to each other by means of at least one cross stiffen^'er (46) to form a slide, (45) moving along the guide grooves on the edges of the seat boards facing each other.

3. A WC seat as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized by a sheave (41) fitted in the cross member of the seat boards, and by a wire (42) which is fitted over the circumference of the sheave, one end of the wire being fastened to the rear part (47) of either the seat covering removal element or of the slide, in order to force the removal element or slide against the effect of a return spring, towards the free front end of the seat boards, and the opposite end of the wire being fastened to the operating lever (43) or strip or the like of the removal element or slide.

4. A WC seat as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized, in that the seat which is mounted by means of joints at its upper end to enable it to turn, is H-shaped as seen from the front, and essentially S-shaped as seen from the side.