WO2022258355A1

WO2022258355A1 - Toilet seat assembly

Info

Publication number: WO2022258355A1
Application number: PCT/EP2022/063867
Authority: WO
Inventors: Markus Richter
Original assignee: Hamberger Industriewerke Gmbh
Priority date: 2021-06-09
Filing date: 2022-05-23
Publication date: 2022-12-15
Also published as: DE102021114903A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a toilet seat assembly with a support for functional components integrated into a toilet seat.

Description

toilet seat set

description

The invention relates to a toilet seat set according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

In the case of toilet seat sets with a seat and a cover, there are various approaches for supplying electrical consumers integrated therein with electrical energy.

In the publication WO 2016/020409 A1, which goes back to the applicant, a toilet seat set is disclosed in which electrical consumers, for example a seat heater and a sensor, are integrated on the seat side. These consumers are supplied with power via a control unit known as a technology box, which is placed on the ceramic and on which the seat and the cover are preferably mounted. The electrical contact is made via electrical lines that are routed from the elec tric consumers in the seat or in the lid to the control unit. If the seat or the cover is to be removed, this line connection must first be released. Another problem with such solutions is that the line connection between the power supply and the toilet seat set must be carefully covered so that contamination is prevented.

In the applicant's DE 102016 108379 A1, a toilet seat set is described in which further sensors for the direct or indirect detection of physiological or health-specific parameters/vital parameters of a user are integrated. The parameter itself or a value required for calculating the parameter can be recorded via these sensors. For example, a BMI (Body Mass Index) can be calculated from the recorded weight with knowledge of the height. In principle, such a sensor arrangement can also Vital data such as pulse, blood pressure, body temperature, body fat percentage, blood sugar content, etc. are recorded.

The power supply of these electrical consumers and the data exchange between the technology box and the sensors is problematic, since there is little space left within the toilet seat set for line/cable routing. Solutions are known in which the individual lines are routed through the block and the seat joint arrangement in the technology box. This number of lines requires a lot of installation space in an area in which dampers and actuators/motors are also arranged.

In the applicant's WO 2017/029369 A1, a toilet seat joint arrangement is described in which the power supply/energy supply takes place via lines, with a plug part being provided in the area of a damper of the toilet seat joint arrangement, which has a seat and/or cover-side plug counterpart assigned. Since with the assembly of the toilet seat set, in which the toilet seat joint assembly is brought into operative connection with the toilet seat and the toilet lid, the electrical connection can be made relatively easily by connecting the plug part with the plug counterpart piece. In a preferred embodiment described in the last-mentioned publication, the connection to the external power supply then takes place via the ceramic-side fastening pins, so that an electrical plug connection is also provided in the connection area of the fastening pins to an adapter piece of the damper.

However, this version, which is optimized in terms of assembly, also has the disadvantage described above that a high level of complexity is required for the electrical contacting between the external power supply and the electrical consumers on the seating set.

With such solutions, the electrical consumers (seat heaters, sensors) can be integrated into the cover or seat during pressing/injection molding, but the cabling/line routing remains problematic, particularly in the area of the toilet seat joint arrangement. In the document DE 102010010881 A1, which can also be traced back to the applicant, a toilet seat set with a motor drive for opening/closing the seat or the lid is shown. The actuator is supplied with power via the pins described above.

The patent application DE 102019 110281 A1 describes a toilet seat set that eliminates the aforementioned problems with regard to the wiring. There, wireless energy transmission is proposed, with opposing coupling coils being arranged in the seat and the cover, which enable energy transmission between the cover and the seat. Alternatively and/or additionally, the coupling coils can also transfer energy between a ceramic and the seat and/or between a wall or a cistern and the lid. The energy supply provided for the basic supply of a primary coil, ie a transmitter emitting energy, can be wired, so that only one cable harness is sufficient to supply electrical energy to the electrical consumers of the toilet seat set. Other exemplary embodiments have electrical storage elements that are mounted in the seat and/or the cover, so that the electrical loads can still fulfill their function independently of a permanent energy supply.

In the publication DE 202011 108948 U1, a toilet seat set is described in which the power supply for a seat heater also takes place by wireless power transmission. A primary coil and a secondary coil for contactless energy transmission are integrated in a technology box and in a toilet seat. In addition, the seat has an energy store in the form of a rechargeable battery, which is charged via the secondary coil, so that the seat heating can be supplied with energy via the rechargeable battery.

Such a solution is very complex, since the integration of the battery into the seat contour is problematic both in terms of design and also in terms of manufacturing effort. Similar complex solutions are also described in the publications JP 2010-125241 A and JP 2009-201559 A, in each of which a contactless energy transfer is used to supply energy to a seat heater.

US 2019/0203455 A1 describes a toilet in which a primary coil is arranged on the ceramic side and the secondary coils are arranged on the seating set side. A disadvantage of such a solution is that the seating set is only designed for use with this type of ceramic, so that it cannot be used on other types of ceramic.

Extensive post-processing is often required in the previous concepts in which the electrical consumer, for example seat heating and the associated energy supply, are integrated by pressing. Therefore, when using Durolid or UREA, the trend has tended to be to form a receiving space for the components mentioned after the seat has been pressed and then to insert them.

It is also known to press seat heating layouts onto resin paper, but these are usually relatively unstable and brittle, so that a high reject rate is to be expected in the production process - the seats have to be processed accordingly in order to ensure the function of the seat heating .

DE 202009017589 U1 describes a toilet seat set in which a toilet seat is composed of a base part and a seat element. The floor part carries a seat heater and an associated controller. The disadvantage of such a concept is that the base part forms a visible surface of the toilet seat and must therefore be optimized both in terms of the support function and in terms of the aesthetic appeal.

In contrast, the invention is based on the object of creating a toilet seat set in which functional components, such as an energy supply and electrical consumers can be integrated wall with little device and assembly technology. Furthermore, the above-mentioned disadvantage of DE 202009017589 U1 should be overcome.

This object is achieved by a toilet seat set with the features of patent claim 1.

Advantageous developments of the invention are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

The toilet seat set according to the invention is designed with at least one toilet seat and/or a toilet lid, which are pivotally held on a ceramic via a pivot joint arrangement. In this case, functional elements are in the toilet seat or in the toilet lid, preferably electrical consumers or parts of a power supply on a carrier that is integrated into the toilet seat and / or the toilet lid and in the material of the toilet seat or the Toilet lid is embedded.

In the concept according to the invention it is provided that this carrier follows a peripheral section of a seat ring of the toilet seat or a cover base like a core and has spacers for position positioning on its large surfaces and/or peripheral surfaces with cantilevers from these.

The wearer can follow the entire circumference of a seat ring or a base of the toilet seat or just a partial area of the seat ring or the base.

During the production of the toilet seat set, these spacers make it possible, on the one hand, to position the carrier in the predetermined manner within the mold during the pressing process or the injection molding process. Furthermore, the spacers also serve to position the carrier relative to the cover/seat material that completely surrounds the carrier. In addition, these protruding spacers improve the connection between the components so that the structure of the toilet lid or toilet seat can be extremely stable. The toilet seat set can be made from almost any material, for example PP, Durolid, UREA, etc. by pressing and/or casting.

In one embodiment of the invention, the carrier is designed to carry an receiver module together with control electronics for an inductive energy supply, with these elements being positioned and covered in a receptacle of a seat-joint-side traverse of the carrier, with the spacers also being arranged in the peripheral area of the receptacle.

These spacers are particularly easy to manufacture if they are designed in the form of pins or noses and protrude from the large and peripheral surfaces of the carrier.

Such a support can also be made by pressing or injection molding.

The relative positioning of the carrier within the toilet seat or toilet lid is particularly precise if there are far more spacers in the area of the receptacle than in the adjoining seat ring area.

In one exemplary embodiment, additional buffer supports can also be formed in this seat ring area.

The relative positioning of the carrier can be further improved if the spacers protrude from the large areas of the carrier on both sides, ie toward the ceramic and away from the ceramic.

In order to stabilize the carrier, a support wall can be formed in the area of the aforementioned cross member and/or the receptacle, which wall thus also forms a spacer. In a particularly preferred exemplary embodiment, the carrier is designed with clamp tabs that dip into corresponding joint tabs of the toilet seat and/or the toilet lid.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the receptacle formed on the carrier is formed on the ceramic side, with a seat heater being applied to the carrier on the user side, which is contacted with the control electronics accommodated in the receptacle.

According to a development of the invention, the circumferential spacers are only arranged along the outer circumference of the seat ring.

In the case of toilet seat sets with a large number of functional components, it can be advantageous to design them with a technology box.

Preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below using schematic drawings. Show it:

FIG. 1 shows a three-dimensional representation of a toilet seat set according to the invention;

FIG. 2a, FIG. 2b views of a toilet seat of the toilet seat set from FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3a to 3f show a plan view and several sectional views of the toilet seat according to FIG. 2;

FIG. 4a, FIG. 4b views of a support for the toilet seat according to FIG. 3 and a toilet seat set according to FIG. 1;

FIGS. 5a to 5e further views of the carrier according to FIG. 4b;

FIG. 6a shows the carrier according to FIG. 5a without covering a receiving space and

FIG. 6b shows the carrier according to FIGS. 5a and 6a without control electronics accommodated in a receiving space.

Figure 1 shows a three-dimensional view of an embodiment of an inventive toilet seat set 1, which is designed with a technology box 2, on which a toilet lid 4 and a toilet seat 10 are pivotally held, the latter in the representation of Figure 1 of the toilet lid 4 is covered. The toilet seat set 1 is in the embodiment shown in Figure 1 leads out in a Fiat design, the technology box 2 is flush with the visible in Figure 1 surface and rear side of the toilet lid 4 is complete. The toilet seat 6 covered in FIG. 1 is shown in FIG. 2a in a three-dimensional top view and in FIG. 2b in a three-dimensional bottom view (from the ceramic).

Correspondingly, the toilet seat 6 has a seat ring 8 resting on the ceramic, which is formed on the technology box side with a tangentially formed base 10 on which two blocks 12a, 12b are arranged. In the area of the base 10, a projection 14 is formed towards the ceramic, which, together with the technology box 2, delimits a channel for guiding air laden with scenting agent, which air is introduced into the ceramic for scenting. The associated deodorizer is described in other applications by the applicant.

The block 12a on the left in FIG. 2a is formed with an approximately rectangular recess 16 into which a rotary piston of a swivel joint arrangement dips in a rotationally fixed manner, so that the lowering movement of the toilet seat 6 is braked by a damper of the swivel joint arrangement.

The underside (ceramic side) of the toilet seat 6 shown in FIG. In the illustration according to FIG. 2b one can also see the projection 14 which, as explained above, guides air laden with scenting agent in the direction of the ceramic.

The block 12b is designed with a rounded guide recess 20 into which a pivot pin of the technology box 2 dips. Adjacent to this guide recess 20 is a guide slot 22, into which guide pins also formed on the technology box 2 enter, which together with the pivot pin guide the pivoting movement, while the damping is effected by the operative engagement of the block 12a with the damper mounted in the technology box 2 he follows. The toilet seat 6 and the toilet lid 4 are preferably through in the illustrated embodiment presses made. In principle, however, these can also be produced by injection molding.

As explained above, two functional components for the energy supply of consumers integrated in the seat, for example a seat heater or an LED module (bulbs) are included in the technology box.

FIG. 3a again shows a plan view of the toilet seat 6 according to FIGS. 2a, 2b, several section lines being drawn in. The resulting cuts are explained with reference to FIGS. 3b to 3f.

Figure 3b shows a section along line B-B in Figure 3a, detail E in Figure 3b being shown enlarged in Figure 3c. Accordingly, the seat ring 8 has an approximately U-shaped cross section with a top wall 24 forming the seat surface and two side walls 26, 28 running approximately perpendicularly thereto be inserted into the tool when pressing. In the illustrated embodiment, a carrier 30 is accommodated in the toilet seat 6, in particular in the peripheral top wall 24, which also extends along the base 10, of which only the cross section is shown in FIG. 3c. This carrier 30 essentially serves to carry/fix the position of the functional components of the toilet seat set 1 described above, so that they can be integrated into the toilet seat structure when pressed.

In the embodiment shown, this support 30 extends along the entire contour (view of Figure 3a) of the seat ring 8 and also along the base 10. This is clearly seen in the section A-A shown in Figure 3d. FIGS. 3e and 3f show details C and D of the section according to FIG. 3d.

Accordingly, in the area of the base 10 of the toilet seat 6, which is slightly beveled in some sections, the carrier 30 is provided with a traverse 32 that follows the contour of the base 10 (see detail C), on which, as will be explained in more detail below, components of the Power supply and control electronics are included. This the The region of the traverse that accommodates sensitive electronic components is provided with a cover 34 that covers the electronic components on the outside and is embedded in the base material of the toilet seat 6 during pressing/injection molding.

Detail D shows that the carrier 30, as already explained, extends away from the traverse 32 along the entire seat ring 8.

In FIGS. 4a, 4b, the carrier 30 is shown in a view from above (seat side) or from the ceramic. As explained above, the carrier 30 in the representation according to FIG. 4a is designed according to the contour of the toilet seat 6 shown in FIG. The dimensions of the traverse 32 and the carrier ring 36 are chosen so that the entire carrier 30 is completely embedded in the material (for example Durolid, UREA) of the toilet seat 6 . On the traverse 32 are from the support ring 36 away protruding bracket tabs 38a, 38b forms out, which so to speak form a core of the block 12a, 12b. The bearing surfaces/engagement surfaces for the above-described pivot pins or the rotary piston can be formed either by the clamp brackets 38a, 38b themselves or by material that covers the interior of the clamp brackets 38a, 38b when pressed.

A plurality of spacer lugs 40, 42 are formed on the outer circumference of the carrier ring 36 and the traverse 32, the traverse-side spacer lugs 42 having a somewhat larger cross section than the spacer lugs 40 formed on the seat ring in the exemplary embodiment shown. These spacer lugs 40, 42 are distributed around the circumference and designed in such a way that the carrier 30 is positioned with a precise fit in the pressing tool/injection mold and is not displaced during shaping. According to FIG. 4a, the spacer lugs 40, 42 extend approximately in a horizontal plane that runs parallel to the bearing surface on the ceramic side.

According to FIG. 4b, a plurality of further spacers 44, 46 are perpendicular thereto, ie in the vertical direction (perpendicular to the plane of the drawing in FIG the traverse 32 are formed. In this case, these are arranged with an increased number per unit area around a receptacle 48 in comparison to the other spacer elements, in which the above-described electronic control system and power supply for the consumer are arranged. In the illustration according to FIG. 4b, the receptacle 48 for the electronic components and for the other functional components is covered by a shell-like cover 50, which is cast or glued to the carrier 30, for example, so that the electronics are hermetically sealed to the outside.

In the transition area of the traverse 32 to the traverse ring 36, a support wall 52 is provided in the exemplary embodiment shown, which stiffens the carrier 30 in the traverse area and also serves as a spacer.

As can be seen in particular from the illustration in FIG. 4b, the spacers 44 are arranged around the receptacle 48 with a comparatively large surface density distribution, which then decreases somewhat toward the seat ring 8. The position pattern of the spacers 44, 46 is designed depending on the geometry of the toilet seat 6.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the large surface of the carrier 30 on the seat side that is visible in FIG. 4a is designed to be relatively smooth. In one exemplary embodiment of the invention, it is provided that seat heating is installed in this area, which is indicated by reference number 56 in FIG. 4a. In principle, various technologies can be considered for the heating layout used, with the Fleiz layout being able to be connected directly to the electronics accommodated in the mount 48, so that no external power supply has to be provided and therefore virtually no post-processing of the toilet seat 6 for processing the cable implementation or the like is required. The contact can be made, for example, through a window 58 of the carrier 30 . However, other components, for example a sensor or the like, can also be used in this. Further spacer/centering projections are marked with the reference number 60 in FIG. 4a. Of course, several such spacer projections 60 distributed along the carrier ring 36 and the traverse 32 in order to optimize the position of the carrier 30 during the molding process (compression molding, injection molding).

In FIG. 4b, adapters are identified by reference number 62, via which the aforementioned buffers can be fixed in position. These adapters 62 also serve as spacers during the manufacturing process.

5a to 5e again show details of the carrier 30 according to FIG. 4b, with FIG. 5a showing a three-dimensional oblique view of the underside of the carrier 30 and FIGS. 5b to 5e showing details A, B, C, D in FIG. 5a.

FIG. 5b (detail A) shows the transition, on the right in FIG. A large number of spacers 44 are arranged around this cover 50 with a comparatively high surface density. In the exemplary embodiment shown, these spacers 44 are each formed by a pin 64 and three support pins 66 distributed on its outer circumference, so that the spacers 44 are very stable and also form a large contact surface for the mold material, so that a reliable anchoring of the Carrier 30 is guaranteed ge in the mold material. In this representation one can also see one of the adapters 62 for the buffers or the like.

FIG. 5c (detail B) shows the clamp tab 38b, which is arranged in the clamp 12b which is in rotatable engagement with the pivot pin on the technology box side. Accordingly, the clamp bracket 38b is formed with a guide recess 68, which, as stated above, is either directly in sliding engagement with the pivot pin or is filled with material during pressing or receives a sliding bush. In this case, it is particularly preferred if core pulls dip into the clamp tabs 38a, 38b during the pressing process, so that the carrier is also positioned exactly by these core pulls. According to FIG. 5d (detail C), the other clamp lug 38a is designed for non-rotatable engagement with the rotary piston of a damper held on the technology box side. In principle, a drive shaft of a drive motor for automatic opening and closing can also engage in this fastening tab 38a.

According to FIGS. 5c and 5d, the two clamp brackets 38a, 38b are provided with a large number of recesses 70 along their outer circumference, which are each separated from one another by stiffening ribs, so that material accumulations are avoided with high stability.

It can also be seen from the two figures that the connection of the clamp brackets 38a, 38b takes place via approximately U-shaped support profiles 78, 80 which are designed with a small wall thickness.

FIG. 5e shows the detail D with one of the adapters 62 and several additional spacers 46. Instead of the spacers 46, recesses or the like could also be provided, which simplify the positioning of the seat heater.

FIG. 6a shows the arrangement according to FIG. 5a with the cover 50 removed. This representation shows the control electronics 84 accommodated in the receptacle 48 delimited by peripheral walls 82, which electronic control system is embodied, for example, on one or more printed circuit boards. In the representation according to FIG. 6a, to the left of the control electronics 84, a receiver module 86 of a device for inductive energy transmission is formed. The associated transmitter module is then integrated into the Tech nikbox 2, so that when the toilet seat 6 is closed, the inductive coupling between the receiver and transmitter module supplies energy to the consumers of the toilet seat 6, for example the seat heater 56, from sensors, for example for detecting it of vital parameters, an occupancy sensor, a proximity sensor or a light module (LED module). These consumers are then controlled in a suitable manner via the control electronics 84. In the illustration according to FIG. 6b, these functional components are constructed so that the unoccupied carrier 30 with the receptacle 48 delimited by the peripheral walls 82 is visible. For the receiver module 86, a module receptacle 88 is formed in the receptacle 48, in which the receiver module 86 is held with a precise fit. Further parts of the electronic control system or also a sensor system with the associated electronic control system, for example an occupancy sensor or the like, can be accommodated in the area identified by the reference number 90 .

The other components of the carrier 30 shown in FIGS. 6a, 6b have already been explained with reference to FIGS. 4, 5, so that further explanations are unnecessary.

A toilet seat set with a support for functional components integrated into a toilet seat is disclosed.

Reference list:

1 toilet seat set

2 technical box 4 toilet lid 6 toilet seat

8 Seat ring 10 Base 12 Pin 14 Projection 16 Recess 18 Buffer receptacle

20 Guide recess 22 Guide slot 24 Top wall 26 Side wall 28 Side wall 30 Support 32 Traverse 34 Cover 36 Support ring 38 Clamp lug 40 Spacer lug 42 Spacer lug 44 Spacer 46 Spacer 48 Receptacle 50 Cover 52 Supporting wall 56 Seat heating 58 Window 60 Centering projection 62 Adapter Pin code

support pin

guide recess

recess

rib

profile

peripheral wall

control electronics

receiver module

module mount

area

Claims

Expectations

1. Toilet seat set with a toilet seat (6) and/or a toilet lid (4), which are held pivotably on a ceramic via a swivel joint arrangement, with the toilet seat (6) or the toilet lid (4 ) Functional elements, preferably electrical consumers and electrical controls on a carrier (30) are included, characterized in that the carrier (30) is embedded in the material of the toilet seat (6) or the toilet lid (4) and a circumference section of a seat ring (8) or a cover base follows like a core, and has spacers (44, 46; 40, 42; 64, 66; 62) projecting from this on its large surfaces and/or peripheral surfaces for position positioning.

2. Toilet seat set according to claim 1, wherein the carrier (30) carries a receiver module (86) together with control electronics (84) of an inductive energy supply, these elements being inserted into a receptacle (48) of a crossbar (32) of the carrier (30 ) are positioned and covered, the spacers (44, 46; 40, 42; 64, 66; 62) also being arranged in the peripheral area of the receptacle (48).

3. Toilet seat joint arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the spacers (44, 46; 40, 42; 64, 66; 62) are pin-shaped or nose-shaped.

4. Toilet seat set according to one of the preceding claims, wherein substantially more spacers (44, 46; 40, 42; 64, 66; 62) are arranged in the area of the receptacle (48) than in the subsequent seat ring area.

5. Toilet seat set according to one of the preceding claims, wherein adapters (62) are formed in the seat ring area, which are preferably provided for supporting buffers.

6. Toilet seat set according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the spacers (44, 46; 40, 42; 64, 66; 62) protrude from the large areas of the carrier (30) on both sides.

7. toilet seat set according to any one of the preceding claims, with a support wall (52) in the region of the cross member (32) and / or the receptacle (48) and / or the support ring (36).

8. toilet seat set according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the carrier (30) Klobenlaschen (38) are formed.

9. Toilet seat set according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the receptacle (48) is formed on the ceramic side and a seat heater (56) is applied on the user side, which is contacted with the control electronics (84).

10. toilet seat set according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein to catch-side spacers of the carrier (30) are formed out only on its outer periphery.

11. Toilet seat set according to one of the preceding claims, with a technology box (2) on which the toilet seat (6) and the toilet lid (4) are held pivotably.