Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47K—SANITARY EQUIPMENT NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; TOILET ACCESSORIES
  • A47K13/00—Seats or covers for all kinds of closets
  • A47K13/12—Hinges
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47K—SANITARY EQUIPMENT NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; TOILET ACCESSORIES
  • A47K13/00—Seats or covers for all kinds of closets
  • A47K13/24—Parts or details not covered in, or of interest apart from, groups A47K13/02 - A47K13/22, e.g. devices imparting a swinging or vibrating motion to the seats
  • A47K13/26—Mounting devices for seats or covers

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a detachable hinge connection between a WC lid and/or a WC seat ring and a corresponding WC.
• WCs water closets
• bowl a WC seat ring, also called a toilet seat, and a WC lid on top of this. After opening the lid the user can sit on the seat ring and use the WC.
• the term "seat ring" is not to be understood strictly geometrically here, and so it does not necessarily imply a closed circular form.
• the seat ring can have an opening at the front.
• the invention also relates to WCs with just a seat ring or with just a lid, and in particular also to urinals which regularly have no seat ring, but often a lid.
• a WC component by which one then means the lid and/or the seat ring.
• a rotating hinge connection between the seat ring and the lid on the one hand and the WC on the other hand is common.
• This type of hinge defines a hinge axis which generally extends in the wall-side region (the rear region as seen from the front) of the WC approximately parallel to the wall and horizontally and about which the WC component can be folded up to the rear from an approximately horizontal position. This can take place when using the WC, but also for cleaning purposes.
• the technical problem underlying the invention is to improve the hinge connection of WC lids and seat rings and so of WCs equipped with the latter as regards their functional properties.
• a WC lid or a WC seat ring is provided with a hinge for connection of the WC lid or WC seat ring to a WC rotatable about a hinge axis, which hinge comprises: a first hinge part that has a cavity with a first opening to a side lying abeam in relation to the hinge axis and with a second opening to a side in the direction of the hinge axis, which cavity contains the hinge axis, the first opening being narrower in relation to a width direction transverse to the hinge axis than the cavity within the first and the second opening, and a second hinge part that can reach into the cavity through the second opening, can be rotated within said cavity about the hinge axis and is contracted with respect to the cross-sectional shape of the cavity such that it can be moved away transversely to the hinge axis through the first opening in a specific rotational position due to appropriate alignment of the narrow and not in other rotational positions due to inappropriate alignment of the narrow so that the WC component can be removed from the WC,
• a correspondingly equipped WC is provided and the invention relates moreover to the corresponding use of the WC lid or seat ring.
• the basic idea behind the invention consists of a particular design of the hinge between the WC component and the WC which guarantees particularly easy separability.
• the WC component is removed in a specific rotational position.
• two hinge parts are provided, one of which - the so- called second hinge part - reaches into a cavity of the other - the first hinge part.
• This cavity for example a cylindrical cavity in a basic shape of the first hinge part which is also otherwise largely cylindrical, is open for this engagement on a face surface in the axial direction, i.e. on a side facing in the direction of the hinge axis. This opening is called the second opening.
• the second hinge part projects through the second opening into the first when the two are assembled.
• the first hinge part has a so-called first opening which opens the cavity towards a direction pointing transversely away from the hinge axis and is connected to the second opening.
• This first opening is somewhat wider here than the first opening itself with respect to the maximum width of the cavity (in a direction transverse to the hinge axis and transverse to the direction in which the opening points).
• the edges of the first hinge part delimiting the first opening in this width direction form a type of undercut.
• the region of the second hinge part reaching into the cavity is shaped such that on the one hand it can be rotated within the cavity about the hinge axis extending through the cavity, and on the other hand can be drawn out of the cavity transversely to the hinge axis through the first opening in a specific rotational position.
• the cross-sectional shape has a narrow which fits through the first opening. Therefore, in a specific rotational position the second hinge part can be detached from the first one transversely to the hinge axis.
• drawing direction and the orientation of the WC component do not have to be identical, and this can be determined by corresponding alignment when fitting the hinge parts. However, it is particularly preferred if the drawing direction and component alignment coincide; it is particularly preferred if the direction is substantially vertical, i.e. the WC component can be removed upwards from the WC in the upright position.
• the terms "coincide” and “vertically” are meant here with 10° accuracy, preferably 5° or even only 2°.
• the WC component can be easily detached from the WC so that the user or cleaner has easier access to the WC itself or parts of the latter for the pur- poses of cleaning, checking or also for fitting or maintenance, and the WC component can be handled separately from the WC and so, for example, can be cleaned or also perhaps changed more easily.
• the WC component can not necessarily be handled on its own, i.e. for example the WC lid without the seat ring or vice versa.
• the two can be fitted connected to one another in the way according to the invention and can only be removed thus.
• the WC lid and the WC seat ring are connected to one another by hinge parts which must be removed before separating the two components.
• the second hinge part also has a cavity and this cavity also has a first opening to a side lying abeam in relation to the hinge axis as well as an associated second opening on one face side (i.e. in the direction of the hinge axis), and in relation to the fitted state of an opposite side in comparison to the second opening of the first hinge part.
• the first opening should be somewhat narrower in comparison to the cavity in relation to the aforementioned width direction and here too the cavity should contain the hinge axis.
• This second cavity is provided for a pin which in turn is part (not necessarily an integral part) of the first hinge part and fits into the cavity of the second hinge part.
• the pin is provided on the first hinge part in its cavity and in its cross-sectional profile (transverse to the hinge axis) has a shape which makes it possible for it to pass through the first opening of the first hinge part on its part and through the first opening of the second hinge part simultaneously with a movement of the second hinge part in order to allow this second hinge part to pass out of the cavity of the first hinge part.
• the pin can not be moved with respect to the first hinge part, in any case transversely to the hinge axis and preferably also in the direction of the hinge axis. However, as will be discussed further, it can be rotated relative to the first hinge part about the hinge axis.
• the pin serves different purposes. It may, for example, be a stabilising pin and secure the connection between the first and the second hinge part, and in particular improve the selectivity of the form closure between the latter with regard to the specific rotational position in which the two hinge parts can be separated by its engagement in the cavity of the second hinge part.
• a stabilising pin and secure the connection between the first and the second hinge part, and in particular improve the selectivity of the form closure between the latter with regard to the specific rotational position in which the two hinge parts can be separated by its engagement in the cavity of the second hinge part.
• the pin can be rotated in the cavity of the second hinge part in exactly the same way as the second hinge part in the cavity of the first hinge part.
• the pin can then be rotatably fixed with respect to the first hinge part in a position aligned to the first opening of the first hinge part so that the pin (by all means with the cross-sectional profile of the exemplary embodiment) can only be moved out of the cavity of the second hinge part through its first opening in this position.
• connection between the pin and the second hinge part rotatably fixed by form closure, and by form closure between the pin and its cavity.
• the pin must therefore be rotatable relative to the first hinge part and must be able to rotate with the second hinge part.
• connection between the pin and the second hinge part can be designed to be particularly stable, and as in the previously described version (with the pin rotatably fixed relative to the first hinge part) a rotational position-selective release of the second hinge part from the first hinge part can nevertheless remain guaranteed.
• the form closure between the pin and the second hinge part is then provided such that the pin fits through the first opening of the second hinge part when the second hinge part is moved out through the first opening of the first hinge part.
• One particularly advantageous use of the configuration with rotatably fixed form closure between the pin and the cavity of the second hinge part makes provision for a rotational damper in the hinge.
• the pin is then part of the rotational damper and can be rotated, in a curbed manner, with respect to a further part of the rotational damper (possibly direction- and position-dependently).
• This further part is then attached, rotatably fixed, in the first hinge part, and is preferably inserted through the second opening and the cavity of the first hinge part so that the pin projects into the cavity. If it is now gripped with form closure in the cavity of the second hinge part, it is moved along with the second hinge part, while the aforementioned other part of the rotational damper remains held in the first hinge part. Therefore rotational movements between the two hinge parts are curbed by the rotational damper.
• the exemplary embodiment illustrates this.
• the outer contour of which is composed of two flattenings opposite and preferably parallel to one another (in particular straight contour pieces) and circular outer contour pieces between the latter.
• the outer contour consists exclusively of the flattened and preferably straight sections and circular sections, the first opening forming, of course, an exception, namely an opening. It is preferably provided in a circular section, and preferably symmetrically here between the two opposite flattenings, see the exemplary embodiment.
• a similar preferred cross-sectional shape is also provided for the pin, if there is one, within the framework of this disclosure the pin not normally having a further (third) cavity in itself, and consequently not having any first opening either.
• the preferred outer contour of the pin therefore has two opposite flattenings and preferably, moreover, two circular arc pieces.
• cross-sectional shape of the cavity of the second hinge part must match this. If the pin its to be rotatable within this hinge part, its cross-sectional shape is preferably circular with the exception of the first opening. The same also applies to the cross-sectional shape of the cavity of the first hinge part.
• the cross-sectional shape of the cavity in the second hinge part is preferably likewise distinct from two opposite flattenings which are connected on a side of the first opening.
• matching the outer contour of the pin there can also be a circular arc piece, the form closure being able to be guaranteed by matching of the flattenings of the pin and of the cavity in the second hinge part and not necessarily having to be provided on this intermediate piece.
• the second hinge part can be inserted in a rotatably fixed manner by means of a peg on the outside as the fitting region, depending on the allocation of the two hinge parts in the WC component or in the WC or an element connected securely to the latter, for example the aforementioned add-on box.
• This type of rotatably fixed insertion fitting can also apply to the first hinge part.
• the rotatably fixed insertion fitting can also apply to the rotational damper in relation to the first hinge part, see the exemplary embodiment.
• the corresponding fitting region on previously known rotational dampers already has a form appropriate for this.
• the hinge described here can have a stop for limiting the rotational movement.
• This type of stop can also be provided independently of the hinge.
• the upwards folding movement of the WC component, and in particular of a WC lid, for example can thus be limited, for example in order to prevent the latter from striking against a different part, for example a rear wall or a flush activation button. Such striking can lead to surface damage and is in any case associated with noise.
• the stop now takes effect parts of the hinge or other parts of the WC component or on the WC are mechanically stressed. It has therefore proven to be a useful improvement to fit at least one of the two hinge parts by means of a spring device in order to make the function of the stop somewhat "softer".
• An apparatus provided specifically with regard to elasticity is meant by the spring device. There- fore, one is not talking here of the inherent elasticity of components provided anyway.
• Metal springs and in particular disc springs, are preferred. These disc springs can be provided, for example, in connection with a screw-on flange, for example on the first hinge part, as illustrated by the exemplary embodiment.
• the detachable hinge connection according to the invention functions without any further locks. It is meant by this that the user must only pull out the corresponding WC component in the described manner in the specific rotational position and it is not necessary to press or shift any other locking button or carry out any other additional operation. Of course this does not rule out that when pulling out a certain force must necessarily be applied to release a force closure, for example a catch spring or a slight misfit of elastically designed hinge parts. It should, however, basically suffice to grasp the WC component and to move it in the pre-specified direction.
• the WC according to the invention has at least one WC component (i.e. lid or seat ring), two hinges according to the invention being provided, one on the left, as viewed from the front, and the other at the rear on the right.
• a rotational damper for the one WC component Preferably, only one of the two hinges is provided here with a rotational damper for the one WC component and the other is not.
• Figure 1 shows a hinge according to the invention in the
• Figure 2 shows a first hinge part of the hinge from Figure 1 and
• Figure 3 shows part of the first hinge part from Figure 2 with the
• Figure 4 a section shown in Figure 3.
• Figure 5 shows a side view of a WC according to the invention.
• Figure 6 shows part of the WC from Figure 5, in particular a seat
• Figure 1 shows a hinge according to the invention for WC components.
• the hinge consists of three elements.
• a first hinge part in accordance with the claims, has a sleeve 1 and a conventional rotational damper 2.
• the rotational damper one can refer, for example, to EP 1 331 417 B1.
• the third element in Figure 1 is the second hinge part 3.
• the three elements 1 , 2 and 3 shown can be pushed together along a hinge axis running from the front left to the rear right in Figure 1 , the hinge axis simultaneously being the axis of rotation of the damper 2 and the axis of symmetry of the cylindrical moulded sections, in particular of the sleeve 1 and of the damper 2.
• the damper 2 has two flattenings 4 (one of which is covered and can not be seen, but is a mirror image of the one shown) on its section pointing backwards to the right in Figure 1 and otherwise continues its cylindrical shape in this section (on the left in front of the flattening shown in Figure 1 ).
• the rotational damper must be rotated about its axis so that the flattenings match corresponding flattenings in the inner contour of the sleeve 1 .
• One of these inner contour flattenings at the bottom can be seen in Figure 1 within the sleeve 1 on its front left corner; a mirror-image upper flattening is shown by a corresponding flattening in the outer contour of the sleeve 1.
• the damper is therefore held in this form, rotatably fixed, in the sleeve 1 , a pin 5 then sticking out of the damper to the front on the left projecting into a remaining cavity of the sleeve 1.
• This cavity is located within an open front sleeve section that can be easily seen in Figure 1 and in which the sleeve wall has a U-shaped profile closing somewhat towards the top.
• This U-shaped profile defines a first opening in accordance with the claims, namely between the upper ends of the sidepieces of the U-profile (therefore, if it were closed, the first opening would close the U-profile to form a circle),
• the U-shaped sleeve wall is open at the front to the left, i.e. in the axial direction, by means of which a second opening is formed in accordance with the claims, namely the opening through which the damper 2 can be pushed in. Both openings pass into one another.
• Figure 1 shows that the second hinge part 3 is divided essentially into two sections in the axial direction.
• a peg 6 pointing forwards on the left has a cross-sectional profile which serves to produce a form closure after being inserted into a WC component, the "enveloping end" of which is, however, substantially circular.
• This is actually a circular shape with two opposite flattenings, projecting ribs being formed centrally in the flattenings and the demoulding line drawn in in bold print extending at the top and the bottom, in addition to which, for technical reasons relating to demoulding, two strips respectively extend over the area very slightly bent in relation to one another.
• the second section 7 pointing backwards on the right in Figure 1 once again has a circular cross-sectional profile with two mirror image flattenings one of which points upwards in Figure 1 and is designated by 8. Furthermore, this second section 7 of the second hinge part 3 has, in a similar form to the sleeve 1 of the first hinge part, a cavity with a first opening (pointing forwards to the right in Figure 1 ) and a second opening (pointing rearwards to the right in Figure 1 , i.e. directed axi- ally), this cavity, unlike the cavity of the sleeve 1 , not having a circular profile, but a profile matched to the pin 5 of the damper 2 and so producing a form closure.
• the form is substantially circular in the section transverse to the axis with distinct flattenings, the flattenings corresponding to the outer flattenings 8, i.e. lying parallel to the latter.
• the second hinge part 3 is connected to the pin 5 of the damper 2 of the first hinge part with form closure with regard to rotational movements and is held secure by the sleeve 1 (namely by the U-shaped wall section delimiting the first opening) and moreover by the aforementioned form closure between the pin 5 and the cavity of the second hinge part 3 in relation to directions of movement transverse to the axis.
• a WC component connected, rotatably fixed, to the peg 6 of the second hinge part 3 is rotated about the hinge axis, this rotates the pin 5 with respect to the other damper 2 and the sleeve 1 , and this leads to direction- and rotational position-dependent curbing of this rotational movement.
• the sleeve 1 of the first hinge part is connected to the WC itself and to an element fitted securely to the latter by means of two screw-on flanges 9 in a way that will be described in more detail.
• Figure 2 shows the sleeves 1 and the damper 2 from Figure 1 in a relative position with respect to rotations about the hinge axis which enables axial pushing together and which with regard to the pin 5 corresponds to the release position of the second hinge part 3. Also shown are two screws 0 and additionally three washers 1 1 , a sliding bushing 12 and a quadruple laminated disc spring 13 in relation to the fastening flange 9 pointing forwards on the right.
• FIGS 3 and 4 show the sleeve 1 with the aforementioned parts in the assembled state, the WC-side elements, into which the two screws 10 are screwed, being omitted.
• the laminated disc spring 3 between the fastening flange 9 of the sleeve 1 and a head of the screw 10 and on the other side of the sleeve 1 on the side of the fastening flange 9 facing away from the screw head.
• the screws 10 are only tightened to such an extent that a certain residual elasticity remains in the laminated disc springs 13.
• Figure 5 shows a WC in a side view.
• 14 is a ceramic bowl body with a clearly identifiable siphon below;
• 15 designates a wall fitting frame which is covered by a plate 16 on the WC side.
• the wall side of the fitting frame 15, i.e. on the left in Figure 5 one can see a fresh water supply pipe 17 for a shower device of the WC, specifically a pipe enveloping this supply line being shown.
• the pipe 17 can be seen in part in front of the plate 16 and below the ceramic bowl body 14.
• FIG. 5 One can see on the ceramic bowl body 14 a WC lid 18 in the folded up state and a WC seat ring 9 in the folded down position for use.
• the rear region (on the left in Figure 5) of the seat ring 19 is somewhat curved upwards in order to create space for an add-on box 20, part of which can be seen with operating elements in Figure 5.
• This add-on box 20 contains elements of the shower device.
• the axis of rotation and so the hinge axis both for the seat ring 9 and for the WC lid 18 are provided on the add-on box in its lower left region in Figure 5 in relation to the situation for use, i.e. in the rear region at the bottom.
• the hinge according to the invention shown in Figures 1 to 4 is fitted here and designated by 21 in Figure 5.
• the upright position of the WC lid 18 that is shown corresponds to a relaxed state of the laminated disc springs from Figures 2 to 4.
• the WC lid 8 in this position is also distanced somewhat more from the plate 6 on its upper end in order to prevent damage to the surface finish of the plate 16 caused by striking. If in this position a user pushes the WC lid 18 further backwards (i.e. anticlockwise in Figure 5), relatively large forces caused by the lever arm can occur in the hinge 21 .
• the laminated disc springs 13 can yield somewhat here and cover an (angular) path of movement which corresponds to the remaining distance from the plate 16.
• the upright position of the WC lid 18 is brought about here by a rotational stop within the damper 2, i.e. by one end of the path of rotational movement made possible by said damper.
• Figure 6 shows the add-on box 20 from Figure 5 perspectively from behind together with the seat ring 19.
• the WC lid 18 and further parts of the WC have been omitted.
• Figure 6 one can see on the left and on the right respectively a hinge according to Figures 1 to 4, the screw-on flanges 9 being accommodated and fastened within the add-on box 20.
• the peg 6 of the second hinge part 3 projects through corresponding openings in the fitting arms (pointing downwards from a position on the upper edge of the add-on box 20) of the seat ring 19 and projects outwards over the latter.
• Corresponding openings are also provided in the WC lid 18, as shown in Figure 5, so that reference number 21 in Figure 5 strictly speaking points to the face surface of the peg 6.
• the passage opening of the seat ring 19 has an inner profile matching the cross-sectional profile of the peg 6 with form closure and the passage opening of the WC lid 18 is circular (corresponding to the enveloping ends of this profile shape); on the other side of the add-on box the situation is exactly reversed.
• both the WC lid 18 and the seat ring 19 (also the seat ring 19 differently from Figure 5) point vertically upwards, they can be removed upwards together from the add-on box 20 and so from the WC. They can therefore easily be dismantled so as to facilitate cleaning of the rest of the WC and cleaning of these two parts themselves. By forcefully pushing out the hinge parts then still connecting them, they can moreover be separated in the removed state.

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Pivots And Pivotal Connections (AREA)
• Toilet Supplies (AREA)
• Hinges (AREA)

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Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

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Citations (4)

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• 2012
  • 2012-06-28 PL PL12174043T patent/PL2679127T3/pl unknown
  • 2012-06-28 EP EP12174043.5A patent/EP2679127B1/de active Active
  • 2012-06-28 DK DK12174043.5T patent/DK2679127T3/da active
• 2013
  • 2013-06-18 CN CN201380033344.6A patent/CN104394745B/zh active Active
  • 2013-06-18 WO PCT/EP2013/062611 patent/WO2014001147A1/en active Application Filing

Patent Citations (4)

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