WO1998059121A1

WO1998059121A1 - Device for selectively opening and closing toilet seat and cover

Info

Publication number: WO1998059121A1
Application number: PCT/KR1998/000171
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gum Gee Lee
Original assignee: Gum Gee Lee
Priority date: 1997-06-25
Filing date: 1998-06-22
Publication date: 1998-12-30
Also published as: AU7939798A

Abstract

A device, for only opening a toilet cover (6) or simultaneously opening a toilet seat (5) and cover (6), is disclosed. The device includes an actuation bar (1) vertically positioned at each side of a toilet bowl (B) and a rotating unit (2) operated in conjunction with the actuation bar (1). Also, a fixing unit (7) is mounted to each side of the toilet bowl (B) and has a hinge shaft (71), while a push-push button (72) is vertically held in the fixing unit (7). In addition, a pedal (4) is hinged to the hinge shaft (71) of the fixing unit (7) and is provided with a holder (41) for holding a lower portion of the actuation bar (1). The pedal (4) also has a press part (42) coming into contact with a top of said push-push button (72).

Description

DEVICE FOR SELECTIVELY OPENING AND CLOSING TOILET SEAT AND COVER

Technical Field

The present invention relates, in general, to a device for selectively opening and closing a toilet seat and cover and, more particularly, to a device capable of only opening a toilet cover or simultaneously opening a toilet seat and cover as a user once or twice steps on a pedal after closing the toilet seat and cover, thus allowing convenience to the user and improving the sanitary conditions of a toilet pedestal.

Background Art

As well known to those skilled in the art, a toilet pedestal is installed in a rest room and is widely used in a home, office building and workshop, etc. When a user intends to use a toilet pedestal with a closed or lowered toilet seat and cover, the toilet cover or the toilet seat and cover are in an open state. Also, when the toilet seat and the cover are opened, the toilet seat is closed by the hand of the user in order to come into contact with the bowl of the toilet pedestal. Thus, the manipulation of the typical toilet seat and cover is inconvenient and has unsanitary conditions.

Disclosure of the Invention

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a device capable of only opening a toilet cover or simultaneously opening a toilet seat and the cover as a user once or twice steps on a pedal when the toilet seat and cover are in a closed state, thus allowing convenience to the user and improving the sanitary conditions of a toilet pedestal .

In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a device, for selectively opening and closing a toilet seat and cover, comprising: an actuation bar vertically positioned at each side of a toilet bowl and having a rack at a top portion; a rotating unit operated in conjunction with the actuation bar, the rotating unit comprising: a casing; an externally threaded pipe vertically mounted to a bottom of the casing and axially and movably receiving the top portion of the actuation bar; and a spring-biased rotor rotatably positioned inside the casing and having a stepped profile with a first gear part engaging with the rack of the actuation bar, a second gear part fitted into an internally splined hole of each rear hinge of a toilet seat, and a shaft passing through a hollow rear hinge of a toilet cover, the rotor being normally biased by a coiled torsion spring fitted over the shaft with both ends of the spring being respectively caught by a first spring holder of the first gear part and a second spring holder of the casing; a fixing unit mounted to each side of the toilet bowl and having a hinge shaft; a push-push button vertically held in the fixing unit; and a pedal hinged to the hinge shaft of the fixing unit and provided with a holder for holding a lower portion of the actuation bar, the pedal also having a press part coming into contact with a top of the push-push button. Brief Description of the Drawings

The above object, and other features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which :

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a toilet pedestal with a device in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3A is an exploded perspective view illustrating a rotating unit of the device of Fig. 2;

Fig. 3B is a perspective view illustrating a pedal of the device of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a view illustrating a method for mounting the device to both toilet seat and cover in accordance with the first embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 5A is a side view illustrating the toilet pedestal after closing the toilet seat and the cover; Fig. 5B is a side view illustrating the toilet pedestal after opening the toilet seat and the cover by the rotating force of the pedal;

Fig. 5C is a side view illustrating the rotating state of the toilet seat by the rotating force of the pedal; and

Fig. 6 is a view illustrating a method for mounting the device to both toilet seat and cover in accordance with the second embodiment of this invention.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

Figs. 1 to 4 show the construction of a toilet pedestal with a device according to the preferred embodiment of this invention.

As shown in the drawings, the toilet pedestal comprises a bowl "B", water tank "T" and operating device. The above operating device, designed for selectively opening and closing a toilet seat 5 and a toilet cover 6, includes a pedal 4, rotating units 2 a^'nd fixing units 7.

The rotating units 2 are inserted into holes formed on the bowl "B" designed for mounting the toilet seat 5 and the toilet cover 6, respectively. Thereafter, the rotating units 2 are individually mounted to each side of the bowl "B" by mounting caps 21a after passing through inserting holes 73 of the fixing units 7. In such a case, the fixing units 7 are also mounted to each side of the bowl "B" , respectively. In addition, each of the rotating units 2 includes a casing 25 and spring-biased rotor 27 rotatably positioned inside the casing 25. In a brief description, each of the rotors 27 has a first gear part

24 engaged with a rack la of an actuation bar 1, and a second gear part 22 exposed to the exterior of the casing

25 and a shaft 23. That is, the second gear parts 22 of the rotors 27 are fitted into internally splined holes 52 formed on each rear hinge 51 of the toilet seat 5, while the shafts 23 are inserted into a perforated hole 62 formed on the rear hinge 61 of the toilet cover 6, respectively.

Also, the lower portions of the actuation bars 1, vertically positioned at each side of the bowl "B", are individually held in holders 41 of the pedal 4. At this time, the mounting lengths of the actuation bars 1 are adjusted by adjusting screws 41a respectively and rotatably mounted to the pedal 4, thus allowing the rotating range of the toilet seat 5 to be easily adjusted. Furthermore, externally threaded pipes 21, vertically and respectively mounted to the bottoms of the casings 25 of the rotating units 2, are fixed by mounting caps 21a after passing through the inserting holes 73 of the fixing units 7, respectively. Also, fixing parts 74, formed at each of the fixing units 7, are mounted by nuts 76 after fitting onto bolts 75 mounted to the bottom of the water tank "T" . Thus, the fixing units 7 are mounted to each side of the bowl "B", respectively. In addition, each of the fixing units 7 is provided with a hinge shaft 71 in order to hinge to the pedal 4, while push-push buttons 72 are vertically held in each of the fixing units 7.

The pedal 4, having an almost "U" shape, is provided with hollow rods 43 extending inwardly from the each of the free ends of the pedal 4 and having hollow portions at their centers. Thus, the hinge shafts 71 of the fixing units 7 are inserted into the hollow portion of the rods 43, respectively. As a result, the free ends of the pedal 4 are individually hinged to the hinge shafts 71 of the fixing units 7. In addition, the pedal 4 is provided with the holders 41 designed for holding the lower portions of the actuating bars 1 in order to adjust the lengths of the actuating bars 1. The pedal 4 has press parts 42 coming into contact with the tops of the push-push buttons 72.

Figs. 5A to 5C are views illustrating the operating state of the device in accordance with the preferred embodiment of this invention.

As shown in Fig. 5A, when a user intends to use the toilet pedestal with the device according to this invention when the toilet seat and cover are in a closed state, the user steps on the pedal 4. Thus, the actuation bars 1 are downwardly moved until the press parts 42 of the pedal 4 press the tops of the push-push buttons 72. At this time, since the racks la of the actuation bars 1 are engaged with the first gear parts 24 of the rotors 27, the first gear parts 24 are clockwise rotated according to the downward movements of the actuation bars 1 by the rotating force of the pedal 4. Also, since the second gear parts 22 of the rotor 27 are fitted into internally splined holes 52 formed on each rear hinge 51 of the toilet seat 5, the toilet seat 5 is opened by the rotating force of the rear hinges 51. In addition, when the toilet seat 5 is opened, the toilet cover 6, resting on the toilet seat 5, is spontaneously opened at the same time as shown in Fig. 5B. In such a case, a man, standing, easily urinates into the open bowl "B". When a person wishes to use the toilet pedestal by sitting on the toilet seat, but finds the toilet seat and cover in an open state, a user again steps on the pedal 4. Thus, the press parts 42 of the pedal 4 again press the tops of the push-push buttons 72, respectively, thereby allowing the tops of the push-push buttons 72 to be upwardly moved to their original positions. As a result, since the actuation bars 1, held by the holders 41 of the pedal 4, are upwardly moved, the first gear parts 24 of the rotors 27 are counterclockwise rotated. Therefore, the toilet seat 5, engaged with the second gear parts 22 of the rotors 27, is downwardly moved. That is, the toilet seat 5 comes into contact with the bowl "B" , while the toilet cover 6 is maintained in the open state as shown in Fig. 5C. Thus, it is possible to only close the toilet seat 5.

In a brief description, when the toilet seat 5 and the cover 6 are opened, they are positioned on the top surface of the bowl "B" in an obtuse angle. In such a case, when the user steps on the pedal 4, the toilet seat 5 is only positioned on the top surface of the bowl "B" in an acute angle. That is, since the tops of the push- push buttons 72 are upwardly moved to their original positions, respectively, the rotating angle of the toilet seat 5 is changed from the obtuse angle to the acute angle. Thus, the toilet seat 5 rests on the top surface of the bowl "B" by means of its weight. In this case, each of the rotors 27 is normally biased by a coiled torsion spring 28 which is fitted over the shaft 23 with its both ends. Also, the torsion springs 28 are respectively caught by first spring holders 241 of the first gear parts 24 and second spring holders 251 of the casings 25. Thus, since the toilet seat 5 is rotatably mounted to the casing 25 of the rotating units 2, the toilet seat 5 rapidly and smoothly rests on the bowl "B" by means of the torsion springs 28.

At this time, the rotors 27, fitted into internally splined holes 52 of each rear hinge 51 of the toilet seat 5, are counterclockwise rotated by the rotating force of the toilet seat 5. Thus, since the actuation bars 1 are upwardly moved, the pedal 4 returns to an original position.

In a brief description, the pedal 4 is rotatably mounted to each side of the bowl "B" by means of the fixing units 7 mounted to the bottom of the water tank "T". In addition, the top portions of the actuation bars 1, designed for being operated by the pedal 4, are individually engaged with the spring-biased rotors 27 mounted to both toilet seat 5 and cover 6. Thus, when the user steps on the pedal 4, the toilet seat 5 and the cover 6 are easily opened at the same time. In such a case, the toilet seat 5 is only closed as the user again steps on the pedal 4 .

In the preferred embodiment of this invention, the second gear parts 22 of the rotors 27 are fitted into the internally splined holes 52 formed on each rear hinge 51 of the toilet seat 5 in order to rotate the toilet seat 5. Of course, it should be understood that the method for mounting the rotors 27 to the toilet ^'seat 5 as shown in Fig. 4 but may be freely changed without affecting the functioning of this invention. For example, as shown in Fig. 6, rods 22a are mounted to the rotors 27, while inserting holes 52a are formed on each rear hinge 51 of the toilet seat 5. Thus, the rods 22a of the rotors 27 are inserted into the inserting holes 52a of the toilet seat 5, respectively. Thereafter, the rotors 27 are mounted to each rear hinge 51 of the toilet seat 5 by screws 8, respectively. Therefore, the toilet seat 5 is easily opened and closed by the rotating force of the rotors 27.

Industrial Applicability

As mentioned above, the device of this invention has a configuration capable of only opening the toilet cover or simultaneously opening the toilet seat and covers, thereby allowing convenience to the user and improving the sanitary conditions of the toilet pedestal. That is, when a user intends to use the toilet pedestal with the device according to this invention when the toilet seat and cover are in a closed state, it is possible to open only the cover as the user once or twice steps on the pedal.

Although the preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications , additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.

Claims

C laims :

1. A device, for selectively opening and closing a toilet seat and cover, comprising: an actuation bar vertically positioned at each side of a toilet bowl and having a rack at a top portion; a rotating unit operated in conjunction with the actuation bar, said rotating unit comprising: a casing; an externally threaded pipe vertically mounted to a bottom of said casing and axially and movably receiving the top portion of said actuation bar; and a spring-biased rotor rotatably positioned inside the casing and having a stepped profile with a first gear part engaging with said rack of the actuation bar, a second gear part fitted into an internally splined hole of each rear hinge of a toilet seat, and a shaft passing through a hollow rear hinge of a toilet cover, said rotor being normally biased by a coiled torsion spring fitted over the shaft with both ends of the spring being respectively caught by a first spring holder of the first gear part and a second spring holder of the casing; a fixing unit mounted to each side of the toilet bowl and having a hinge shaft; a push-push button vertically held in said fixing unit; and a pedal hinged to said hinge shaft of the fixing unit and provided with a holder for holding a lower portion of the actuation bar, said pedal also having a press part coming into contact with a top of said push-push button.

2. The device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said toilet seat is rotatably mounted said rotor in such a manner that a rod, mounted to said rotor, is inserted into an inserting hole formed on the rear hinge and is fixed to the rear hinge of said toilet seat by fixing means.