Patent ID: 6035454
Filing Date: 2000-03-14
Classification: A47K

Abstract:
A toilet bowl covering member closing device comprising:a housing having an inner wall;a shaft assembly, comprising a shaft with a first part housed within the housing, for movement between first and second rotary orientation, the shaft having a portion to which a toilet bowl covering member can be connected;the inner wall and the shaft assembly defining an at least substantially sealed housing interior;the first part of the shaft assembly comprising an outwardly extending member, having first and second faces, extending outwardly from the shaft to an outer edge of the outwardly extending member;the inner wall having a variable-gap portion, said variable-gap portion and the outer edge defining a variable gap therebetween as the shaft assembly moves between the first and second rotary orientations; anda bypass element comprising a bypass flow path extending between first and second positions within the housing interior, said first and second positions fluidly coupled to the first and second faces, said bypass element comprising a flow restricter which:(1) permits relatively free fluid flow along the bypass flow path when the shaft assembly moves in a second direction from the second rotary orientation to the first rotary orientation, and(2) at least substantially prevents fluid flow along the bypass flow path when the shaft assembly moves in a first direction from the first rotary orientation to the second rotary orientation.