WO1999063874A1

WO1999063874A1 - Toilet cover assembly with mechanical damper

Info

Publication number: WO1999063874A1
Application number: PCT/DK1999/000306
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kjeld Bruno Pedersen
Original assignee: Pressalit A/S
Priority date: 1998-06-09
Filing date: 1999-06-09
Publication date: 1999-12-16
Also published as: DK77798A

Abstract

A toilet cover assembly comprising a seat (1) and a cover (2) pivotally connected to a bracket (3) about the same horizontal axis. The bracket (3) is provided with a mechanical damper for damping the movement of the seat (1) and the cover (2) respectively from a raised to a lowered position. The damper comprises a housing member (4) and a shaft member (34) arranged pivotally therein. A coil spring (50) acts between a first and a second rotary member (38, 39) pivotally arranged relative to the housing (4) and the shaft (34). The shaft (34) and the rotary members (38, 39) have co-acting engagement faces (55, 44 and 56, 45) and the housing and the rotary members (38, 39) have co-acting stop faces (60, 57, 61, 58) arranged such that when turning the shaft (34) relative to the housing (4) in each of two opposite directions relative to an initial position, the shaft (34) entrains one rotary member, while the other rotary member is retained relative to the housing (4). As a result the spring (50) is loaded additional for storing energy and thus damping said rotary movement of the shaft.

Description

Title: Toilet cover assembly with mechanical damper.

Technical Field

The invention relates to a toilet cover assembly comprising a seat pivotally connected to a bracket about a horizontal axis, said bracket having fastening parts for fastening the bracket to a toilet bowl, and at least one damper for damping the movement of the seat from a raised to a lowered position, said damper comprising a housing member and a shaft member pivotally arranged therein, a first of said members being secured to the bracket and the other member being interconnectable with the seat by means of a coupling so as to be moved relative to the first member at rotation of the seat, and a spring means acting between the shaft member and the housing member, said spring means being deformed and thus storing energy during a relative movement of the shaft member and the housing member from an initial position corresponding to the raised position of the seat to the lowered position of the seat and thus damping said movement.

Background Art

US-A-5.142.738 discloses a toilet cover assembly of the above type having a two-piece bracket. A damper is provided in one of the bracket members and comprises a cylinder arranged pivotally in the bracket member and adapted to be fixed to the seat, and a coil spring being connected to the cylinder at one end and to the housing at the other end. When the seat is lowered, the coil spring is subjected to torsion and thus dampens the movement of the seat. A similar damper is provided in the other bracket member for damping the movement of the cover from its raised to its lowered position. The connection between the seat and the damper in the first bracket member and the connection between the cover and the damper in the other bracket member are both shaped such that it is only possible to connect the seat and the cover with the bracket member and the damper to which the seat/ cover is adapted to be connected, ie. the bracket members jointly forming the bracket can only be placed in one position relative to the toilet bowl. The reason therefor is probably that the dampers of the bracket members would operate in the opposite direction than the intended, ie. the respective springs would be loaded when the cover and the seat respectively is raised and correspondingly release energy and thus accelerate the movement of the seat and of the cover from their raised to their lowered positions, if it was possible to mount the bracket members in a position rotated 180° in relation to the correct position, ie. to connect the seat with the bracket member intended to be connected with the cover and vice versa.

Most toilet bowls are provided with two holes for fastening the bracket of the toilet cover assembly. However, the position of said holes varies considerably from a toilet bowl of one manufacturer to a toilet bowl of another manufacturer, for which reason it is desirable to arrange the fastening parts of the bracket offset laterally relative to the axis of rotation of the seat and/or the cover such that they have differing positions when the bracket is rotated 180°, whereby the bracket can be mounted on the greatest possible number of different types of toilet bowls with a correct positioning of the seat and the cover relative to the bowl.

Brief Description of the Invention

The object of the invention is to provide a toilet cover assembly of the above type allowing the bracket to be mounted in two positions rotated 180° relative to each other about a vertical axis.

The toilet cover assembly according to the invention is characterised in that the spring means is arranged so as to act between a first and a second rotary member pivotally arranged relative to both the housing and the shaft; that the shaft and the first rotary member have first co-acting engagement means adapted to interengage for a joint turning thereof at movement of the shaft relative to the housing in a first direction away from the initial position, the housing and the second rotary member having provided with co-acting stop means to prevent a relative turning thereof during said relative movement of the shaft in the first direction, and that the shaft and the second rotary member have second co-acting engagement means adapted to interengage for a joint turning thereof at movement of the shaft in relation to the housing in a second direction opposite the first direction and away from the initial position, the housing and the first rotary member having second co-acting stop means to prevent a relative turning thereof during said relative movement of the shaft in the second direction.

When the seat is moved in the first direction away from the initial position corresponding to the raised position of the seat, the first rotary member rotates with the shaft due to the engagement of the first co-acting engagement means. At the same time the second rotary member is retained relative to the housing and the bracket due to the engagement of the first co-acting stop means. Since the spring means is arranged to act between the first and the second rotary member, it is deformed and thus stores energy, whereby the rotary movement of the seat is dampened.

If the seat is moved from its raised position in the opposite direction of the first direction, ie. further away from the raised position corresponding to a lowering of the seat, when the bracket has been rotated 180° about a vertical axis, the second rotary member follows the rotation of the shaft due to the interengagement of the second co-acting engagement means. At the same time the first rotary member is retained in relation to the housing or the bracket due the interengagement of the second co-acting stop means. Since the spring means is arranged to act between the first and the second rotary members, it is deformed and thus stores energy, whereby the movement of the seat is also dampened, when the seat is moved in the opposite direction of the first direction. As a result, the seat's movement in both its rotational direction is dampened and thus also in the two optional mounting positions of the bracket, said positions being rotated 180° about a vertical axis relative to each other. According to the invention, in a toilet cover assembly further comprising a cover pivotally connected to the bracket about the same axis as the seat and a damper for damping the movement of the cover from its raised to its lowered position, and wherein said damper comprises a housing member and a shaft member pivotally arranged therein, a first of said members being secured to the bracket and the a second one of said members being interconnectable with the cover by means of a coupling so to be turned relative to the first part at rotation of the cover, and a spring means acting between the shaft member and the housing member, said spring means being deformed and thus storing energy during a relative movement of the shaft and the housing from an initial position corresponding to the raised position of the cover to the lowered position of the cover and thereby dampening this movement, the spring means may be arranged so as to act between a first and a second rotary member pivotally arranged relative to both the housing and the shaft, and the shaft and the first rotary member may have first co-acting engagement means adapted to interengage for a joint turning thereof at rotation of the shaft relative to the housing in a first direction away from the initial position, the housing and the second rotary member having first co-acting stop means to prevent a relative turning thereof during said relative movement of the shaft in the first direction; and the shaft and the second rotary member have second co-acting engagement means adapted to interengage for a joint turning thereof during said relative movement of the shaft relative to the housing in a direction opposite the first direction and away from the initial position, the housing and the first rotary member having second co-acting stop means to prevent a relative turning thereof during said relative turning of the shaft in the other direction.

As a result, in a completely analogous manner to the one described above, the movement of cover is dampened in both directions relative to its raised position such that the intended damping also is obtained at a 180° rotation of the bracket, when the cover is moved from its raised to its lowered position. Moreover according to the invention the spring means between the first and the second rotary member may be preloaded for constantly keeping the first co-acting engagement means in interengagement as well as keeping the second co-acting engagement means in interengagement. Consequently, a further deformation of the spring means occurs and thus a damping of the movement, when the shaft has been turned to such a degree that the respective co-acting stop means abut one another.

Furthermore according to the invention the spring means between the first and second rotary member may be preloaded to keep the first co-acting stop means in mutual abutment and the second co-acting stop means in mutual abutment in the initial position of the shaft.

As a result a further deformation of the spring means and thus a damping of the movement take place, when the shaft has been moved such a distance away from the initial position that the respective co-acting engagement means interengage.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the first and second co-acting engagement means may be arranged so as to substantially interengage in the initial position of the shaft. The first and second co-acting stop means may likewise be arranged so as to substantially interengage in the initial position of the shaft.

The spring means is thereby further deformed and the movement dampened as soon as the shaft is moved away from its initial position in any of the two possible rotational directions.

Moreover according to the invention the spring means may be a coil spring used as a torsion spring arranged around the shaft.

Furthermore according to the invention the rotary members may be formed as sleeves pivotally arranged on the shaft. According to yet another embodiment of the invention the sleeves may be provided with body parts facing each other and about which the coil spring is arranged and with flange parts facing away from each other and engaging the ends of the spring.

Furthermore according to the invention the first and second co-acting engagement means may be formed of a radially inwardly extending projection on the rotary sleeves and received in a recess being formed as a segment of cylinder in the outer surface of the shaft and having opposed, radially extending edge faces, the projection of each rotary sleeve engaging a respective edge face.

Finally according to the invention the first and second co-acting stop means may be formed of radially outwardly extending projections on the rotary sleeves and received in a recess being formed as a segment of a cylinder in the inner surface of the housing and having opposed, radially extending stop faces, the projection of each rotary sleeve engaging a respective stop face in the initial position of the shaft.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention is explained in detail below with reference to the drawings, in which

Fig. 1 is a top view of toilet cover assembly according to the invention comprising a seat and a cover pivotally connected with a bracket about a common axis of rotation,

Fig. 2 illustrates the toilet cover assembly in Fig. 1 seen in the direction II in Fig.

Fig. 3 illustrates the toilet cover assembly in Fig. 1 seen in the direction III in Fig. Fig. 4 illustrates the toilet cover assembly in Fig 1 , in which the seat and the cover are separated from each other and detached from the bracket,

Fig. 5 is a exploded view of the toilet cover assembly in Fig. 1, certain parts being omitted for clarity,

Fig. 6 is a sectional view along the line VI- VI in Fig. 1 , the seat and cover being turned from the lowered position shown in Fig. 1 to raised position, and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view along the line VII- VII in Fig. 6.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

The shown toilet cover assembly comprises a seat 1 and a cover 2 hingedly interconnected and pivotally connected with a bracket 3, said seat 1 and cover 2 either only indicated or omitted on the drawings for clearness. The bracket 3 comprises a housing 4 member having two legs 5,6 with bases 7,8. Each base 7,8 is provided with a rotatable disc 9 having an oblong hole 10. A bolt 11 is inserted through the hole for fastening the bracket 3 to a toilet bowl, said bolt being inserted through a hole in the toilet bowl and secured thereto by means of a nut 12 and washers 13 and 14.

The seat 1 and the cover 2 are hingedly interconnected by means of two interspaced hinges, each comprising a hinge member 16 provided with a pin and a hinge member 17 provided with a bearing. The hinge pin members 16 each comprises a substantially conical body 18 having an axially projecting pin 19 and a leg 20 extending substantially tangentially from the body 18 and ending in a mounting base 21. The hinge bearing members 17 each comprise a substantially conical bearing 22 provided with a cylindrical cavity 23 adapted to receive the pin 19 of the hinge pin member 16 and a leg 24 extending substantially tangentially from the bearing and ending in a mounting base 25. The two hinge pin members are identical as are the two hinge bearing members.

As best shown in Fig. 4, a hinge bearing member 17 is mounted on the rear edge 26 of the seat at one end and a hinge pin member 16 is mounted at the other end co-axially thereto, the pin 19 facing outwards . The mounting base 25 of the hinge pin member 17 and the mounting base 21 of the hinge bearing member 16 are both countersunk in the rear edge 26 of the seat 1. Correspondingly, a hinge pin member 16 is mounted on the lower face of the cove 2 adjacent its rear edge 17, the pin 19 facing outwards, and a hinge bearing member 17 is mounted at the other end co-axially therewith. The mounting base 21 of the hinge pin member 16 and the mounting base 25 of the hinge bearing member 17 are both countersunk in the lower face of the cover.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4, the hinge members 16, 17 of the hinges are mounted such on the seat 1 and the cover 2 respectively so that the pins of the hinge pin members 16 can be brought into and out of engagement with the cavities 23 of the hinge bearing members 17 by an axial displacement of the cover 2 relative to the seat 1 , when the seat 1 and the cover 2 are detached from the bracket 3. Furthermore the hinge members are arranged such that a shoulder 28 between the body 18 and the pin 19 substantially abuts an inwardly facing edge face 29 of the bearings 22 when the pins 19 engage the bearings 22. In said engagement position, the distance between the inwardly facing end faces 30 of the bodies 18 of the hinge pin members 16 correspond substantially to the distance between the end faces 31 , 32 of the bracket housing 4 facing away from each other.

The shape of the housing 4 of the bracket 3, which is substantially symmetrical about a central plane 33, is explained in detail below with reference to Figs. 5 to 7 and the half of the bracket and the housing illustrated thereon. It should also be noted that the seat and cover for clearness are not shown on said drawings and that the hinge members are shown in a position corresponding to the raised position of the seat and the cover and not in the lowered position shown in Figs. 1 to 4. In the interior of the shown housing half, a damper is arranged comprising a pivotal, hollow shaft 34 with an axially outer head 35 and a body 36 of a smaller diameter than the head. The head 35 arranged pivotally in an axially outer portion 37 of the interior of the housing. Two identically shaped sleeves 38,39 are pivotally arranged on the shaft body 36 and comprise body portions 40,41 facing each other and flange portions 42,43 facing away from each other. The sleeves 38,39 are each provided with a radially inwardly extending projection 44,45 extending into a recess 46 being formed as a segment of a cylinder in the outer surface of the shaft body 36. In the circumferential direction the recess is defined by two engagement faces 55,56 facing each other. The recess 46 does not extend right to the inner end face 48 of the shaft 36, but is provided with an opening 49 for insertion of the projection 44,45 of the sleeves 38,39 into the recess 46. A coil spring 50 is provided around the body portions 40,41 of the sleeves 38,39. The coil spring 50 is torsionally preloaded, one end 51 thereof engaging an abutment face 52 on the flange portion 42 of the axially outer sleeve 38 and the other end 53 thereof engaging an abutment face 54 on the flange portion 43 of the axially inner sleeve 39. As a result the spring 50 forces the projection 44 of the axially outer sleeve 38 into engagement with the first engagement face 55, and forces the inner projection 45 of the axially inner sleeve into engagement with the second engagement face 56 of the shaft body 36.

Each flange portion 42,43 of the sleeves 38, 39 is furthermore provided with a radially outwardly extending projection 57,58. The outwardly extending projections 57,58 extend into a portion 59 of the interior of the housing. The portion 59 being formed as a segment of a cylinder is an axial extension of the axially cylindrical area 37 of the housing and which is defined by two stop faces 60,61 facing each other in the circumferential direction. The stop faces 60, 61 thus form the transition between said segment-shaped portion 59 and a segment-shaped portion 62 of a smaller diameter. The radially outwardly extending projections 57, 58 of the sleeves 38,39 are arranged such in relation to the stop faces 60,61 that the projection 57 of the axially outer sleeve substantially abuts the first stop face 60, and the projection 58 of the axially inner sleeve 39 substantially abuts the second stop face 61, when the radially inwardly extending projections 44,45 of the sleeves engage the engagement faces 55,56 in the segment-shaped recess 46 in the shaft body 36.

Specifically, in the shown embodiment the inwardly extending projection 44,45 of each sleeve 38,39 are arranged substantially radially aligned with its outwardly extending projection 57,58. Correspondingly, the engagement faces 55, 56 of the shaft body 36 are arranged substantially radially aligned with the stop faces 60,61 of the housing, when the spring is not stressed about its preload.

A release shaft 63 is arranged axially displaceably but prevented from rotating in the interior of the hollow shaft 34, said release shaft 63 having a head 64 not presenting rotation symmetry and biassed by means of a spring 65 to adopt the shown engagement position, in which the head 64 engages a corresponding recess 66 not presenting rotation symmetry and arranged in the hinge pin member 16 connected to the cover 2. At its axially inner end the release shaft 63 is rotatably connected to a rack member 67, whose toothed portion 68 is in mesh with a gear portion 69 of a toothed shaft 70 rotatably arranged about a vertical axis centrally in the housing. At its upper end, the toothed shaft 70 is provided with a bevel gear portion 71 in mesh with an axially extending toothed portion 72 on a rack 73 protruding from the inner surface of a two-piece sleeve 74 pivotally arranged on the housing. When the sleeve 74 is turned, the toothed shaft 70 is also turned due to the engagement of the rack 73 with the bevel gear portion 71. As a result, the release shaft 63 is moved axially inwardly into the housing due the engagement of the toothed shaft 70 with the rack member 67 , whereby the release head 64 is brought out of engagement with the hinge pin member 16. Since the housing and the bracket as mentioned above are formed substantially symmetrical about the central plane 33 , the head of a release shaft in the other housing half is also brought out of engagement with the hinge pin member 16 connected to the seat, whereby the seat and the cover can be detached from the bracket.

The damper provided in the bracket operates as follows. When the cover 2 and the hinge pin member 16 cormected thereto are moved away from the position shown in Figs. 5 to 7 in the direction of the arrow I in Fig. 5, the hollow shaft 34 is moved in the same direction due the non-pivotal engagement of the hinge pin member 16 with the head 64 of the release shaft 63 and the latter' s non-pivotal engagement with the hollow shaft 34. The axially inner sleeve 39 is prevented from rotating due the engagement of its radially outwardly extending projection 58 with the stop face 61 in the housing. However, the axially outer sleeve 38 follows the rotation of the hollow shaft 34 due to the engagement of the first engagement face 55 of the hollow shaft with the radially inwardly extending projection 44 of said sleeve 38. As a result the coil spring 50 is torsionally stressed and the movement of the cover from the raised to the lowered position is thus dampened.

When the cover 2 is moved in the direction shown by the arrow II in Fig. 5, ie. in the direction opposite direction I, the hollow shaft 34 is also moved in said direction. By this movement the axially outer sleeve 38 is not rotated due to the engagement of its radially outwardly extending projection 57 with the first stop face 60 of the housing. The axially inner bearing 39, however, follows the rotation of the hollow shaft 34 due to the engagement of the second engagement face 56 of the hollow shaft with the radially inwardly extending protection 45 of the sleeve. The coil spring 50 is torsionally stressed and the movement of the cover in said other direction is dampened.

Consequently, the movement of the cover is dampened in both directions I and II, ie. the movement of the cover is dampened from its raised to its lowered position in the two possible mounting positions of the bracket, said positions being rotated 180° relative to one another about a vertical axis. Since the bracket housing as previously mentioned is formed substantially symmetrical about a central plane, a corresponding damping of the seat's movement from its raised to its lowered position is effected in both possible mounting positions of the bracket.

The invention may be modified in many ways without thereby deviating from scope of the invention.

The bracket can thus comprise two separate bracket members, each of which being mounted on the toilet bowl. Further, the two separate bracket members can - as the illustrated and described bracket members of the bracket - be arranged between the hinge members of the seat and the cover. They can, however, also be arranged at the outside of said members. Finally the dampers may also be provided in the hinge members adjacent the bracket instead of as shown in the bracket.

Claims

1. Toilet cover assembly comprising a seat (1) pivotally connected to a bracket (3) about a horizontal axis, said bracket provided with fastening parts for fastening the bracket to a toilet bowl, and at least one damper for damping the movement of the seat (1) from a raised to a lowered position, said damper comprising a housing member (4) and a shaft member (34) pivotally arranged therein, a first of said members being secured to the bracket and a second of said members being interconnectable with the seat (1) by means of a coupling so as to be moved relative to the first part at rotation of the seat (1), and a spring means (50) acting between the shaft (34) and the housing (4), said spring means being deformed and thus storing energy during a relative movement of the shaft (34) and the housing (4) from an initial position corresponding to the raised position of the seat to the lowered position of the seat and thus damping said movement, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the spring means (50) is arranged so as to act between a first and a second rotary member (38,39) pivotally arranged relative to both the housing (4) and the shaft (34), that the shaft (34) and the first rotary member (38) have first co-acting engagement means (44,55) adapted to interengage for a joint turning thereof at movement of the shaft (34) relative to the housing (4) in a first direction (I) away from the initial position, the housing (4) and the second rotary member (39) having first co-acting stop means (58,61) to prevent a relative movement thereof during said relative movement of the shaft (34) in said first direction, and that the shaft (34) and the second rotary member (39) have second co-acting engagement means (45.56) adapted to interengage for a joint turning thereof at a rotation of the shaft (34) relative to the housing (4) in a second direction (II) opposite the first direction (I) and away from the initial position, the housing (4) and the first rotary member (38) having second co-acting stop means (57,60) to prevent a relative turning thereof at said relative rotation of the shaft (34) in the second direction.

2. Toilet cover assembly according to claim 1 and comprising a cover (2) pivotally connected to the bracket (3) about the same axis (15) as the seat (1) and a damper for damping the movement of the cover from its raised to its lowered position, and wherein said damper comprises a housing member (4) and a shaft member (34) pivotally arranged therein, a first of said members being secured to the bracket and a second of said members being interconnectable with the cover (2) by means of a coupling so to be moved relative to the first part at rotation of the cover (2), and a spring means (50) acting between the shaft (34) and the housing (4), said spring means being deformed and thus storing energy during a relative movement of the shaft (34) and the housing (4) from an initial position corresponding to the raised position of the cover (2) to the lowered position of the cover (2) and thereby dampening this movement, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the spring means (50) is arranged so as to act between a first and a second rotary member (38,39) pivotally arranged relative to both the housing (4) and the shaft (34); that the shaft (34) and the first rotary member (38) have first co-acting engagement means (44, 55) adapted to interengage for a joint turning thereof at rotation of the shaft (34) relative to the housing (4) in a first direction (I) away from the initial position, the housing (4) and the second rotary member (39) having first co-acting stop means (45,61) to prevent a relative turning thereof during said relative rotation of the shaft (34) in the first direction (I); and that the shaft (34) and the second rotary member (39) have second co-acting engagement means (45,56) adapted to interengage for a joint turning thereof during said relative turning of the shaft (34) relative to the housing (4) in a direction (II) opposite the first direction (I) and away from the initial position, the housing (4) and the first rotary member (38) having second co-acting stop means (57,60) to prevent a relative turning thereof during said relative turning of the shaft in the second direction (II).

3. Toilet cover assembly according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the spring means (50) between the first and second rotary members (38,39) is preloaded for constantly keeping the first co-acting engagement means (44,55) as well as the second co-acting engagement means (45,56) in interengagement.

4. Toilet cover assembly according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the spring means (50) between the first and the second rotary members (38,39) is preloaded to keeping the first co-acting stop means (58,61) in mutual abutment with each other as well as the second co-acting stop means (57,60) in mutual abutment in the initial position of the shaft (34).

5. Toilet cover assembly according to claim 3 or 4, characterised in that the first and second co-acting engagement means (44,55 and 45,56) are arranged so as to substantially co-act in the initial position of the shaft and the first and second co-acting stop means (58,61 and 57,60) likewise are arranged so as to substantially co-act in the initial position of the shaft (34).

6. Toilet cover assembly according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the spring means (50) is a coil spring used as a torsion spring and arranged around the shaft (34).

7. Toilet cover assembly according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the rotary members (38,39) are formed as sleeves pivotally arranged on the shaft.

8. Toilet cover assembly according to claims 6 and 7, characterised in that the sleeves (38,39) are provided with body parts (40,41) facing each other and about which the coil spring (50) is arranged, and flange parts (42,43) facing away from each other and engaging the ends (51,53) of the spring (50).

9. Toilet cover assembly according to claim 7 or 8, characterised in that the first and second co-acting engagement means (44,55 and 45, 56) are formed of a radially inwardly extending projection (44,45) on the sleeves (38,39) and received in a recess (46) being formed as a segment of a cylinder in the outer surface of the shaft (34) and having opposed, radially extending edge faces (55,56), the projection (44,45) of each sleeve (38,39) engaging a respective edge face.

10. Toilet cover assembly according to claim 7, 8 or 9, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the first and second co-acting stop means (58, 61 and 57, 60) are formed of radially outwardly extending projections (57,58) on the sleeves and received in a recess (59) being formed as a segment of a cylinder in the inner surface of the housing and having opposed, radially extending stop faces (61,60), the projection of each sleeve (38,39) engaging a respective stop face (60,61) in the initial position of the shaft.