Hinge with adjustment device, for fixing cover elements to sanitary appliances, such as lid-seat units for water closet pans

Abstract: An adjustable hinge for fixing cover elements to sanitary appliances comprises a fixed element (5) designed to be fixed to a rear hole (2) in the appliance (1), and at least one mobile element designed to be fixed to a cover element for said appliance, the mobile element comprising a bar (11) which is slidingly inserted into a longitudinal chamber in the cover element, into the lower face of which there is screwed at least one pointed screw (15) for locking said bar in the desired position.

Description: This invention relates to a hinge which enables the position of cover elements to be adjusted relative to their corresponding sanitary appliances, such as water closet pans or bidets. In particular, the invention is convenient for fixing lid-seat units to water closet pans in general. As is well known, these latter are produced by casting them in suitable sectional moulds constructed of a liquid-permeable material. A given mould is used for a certain number of castings, however between one casting procedure and the next the forming cavity of the mould undergoes a small but continuous dimension variation. Specifically, the cavity widens by the extent of a few millimetres during the life of the mould, with the result that there is a dimensional difference between the pans, especially between those cast at the beginning and those cast at the end of the life of a given mould. In contrast, the lid-seat units to be fixed to the rear of these pans are of invariable dimensions as they are constructed of moulded plastics material. To a large extent it happens that when said units are mounted on the respective pan they often do not suitably fit the outer perimetral shape of the upper end of the pan. In particular, the front edge of the seat is set back from the corresponding edge of the pan so creating a gap to step. This is both annoying for the user and inconvenient from the appearance aspect. A hinge device for sanitary appliances is disclosed in CH-A-236734, which comprises a fixed element designed to be secured to a rear hole provided in the sanitary appliance, which supports, through hinging means, one mobile element to be fixed to a cover element. Said mobile element comprises a bar intended to be inserted and locked into a rear longitudinal chamber provided in the cover element. Locking in position is attained by a screw inserted from below in one of several holes provided in the bar, and screwed in a nut fixed on the opposite, upper side of the chamber. Such a hinge assembly, in spite of consenting some adjustment of the cover position in respect of the hinge axis, is very complicated to build up and does not consent a fine adjustment. The main object of the present invention is to provide a hinge which obviates the aforesaid drawback within the context of a simple and rational structure. According to the invention the proposed hinge is of the type comprising a fixed element and at least one mobile element, one of which is designed to be secured to a rear hole provided in the sanitary appliance, such as a water closet pan, and the other is designed to be fixed to the corresponding cover element, such as the seat of a lid-seat unit, said at least one mobile element consisting of a bar which is slidingly inserted into a rear longitudinal chamber provided in the cover element, said bar being locked therein by at least one transverse pointed screw screwed into the lower face of said element or seat. Said bar is provided on its lower face with rack toothing having very close spaces able to receive the end of said pointed screw to lock the lid or seat at the correct degree of insertion. By virtue of said means it is possible to achieve a very fine adjustment of the cover element or seat relative to the corresponding appliance or water closet pan, thus obviating the aforesaid problem. These and further merits and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a section on the line I-I of Figure 3 to an enlarged scale; Figure 2 shows to an enlarged scale that mobile hinge element which is uppermost in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan view of Figure 1 to a reduced scale. Said figures, and in particular Figure 1, show a water closet pan 1, which is represented only partially as the characterising elements of the invention are well adaptable to water closet pans of any shape and dimensions and to other sanitary appliances such as bidets. As is usual, the rear region of the pan 1 is provided with two through holes 2 symmetrically disposed about the vertical plane of symmetry of said pan 1. Each hole 2 is used to fix a pair of hinges forming part of a single element for supporting/hinging a seat 3 and a lid 4 which are partially shown. In the illustrated case the hinge is of the type provided with two separate hinge pins for said seat and lid, but there is nothing to prevent these latter for example swivelling about a common axis, as is well known to experts of the art. Figure 1 also shows a fixed hinge element 5 which is shaped to rest on the pan 1 by way of a suitable gasket 6 and from which there rearwardly projects a threaded pin 7 which is inserted through said hole 2. Said element 5 is locked by a wing nut 8 by way of a washer 9 and an elastic ring 10. With reference also to Figure 3, said element 5 comprises two overlying pairs of opposing fixed bearings, between which is inserted the mobile hinge element consisting of a bar 11 with a bearing 13, this latter being aligned with the fixed bearings to receive the hinge pin 44 and 33 of the lid 4 and seat 3 respectively. The mobile hinge element consists both for the seat 3 and for the lid 4 of a bar 11 which is received practically as an exact fit within a metal box member 12 of conjugate shape which is embedded in the seat 3 and in the lid 4 respectively. The box member 12 is disposed longitudinally within these latter and opens at their rear edge, where the bar 11 can be inserted (see Figure 3). As can be seen in Figure 2 the lower face of the bar 11 is provided with a rack 14 of triangular toothing, the spaces of which are arranged to receive the pointed ends of two locking and adjustment screws. In the illustrated case, said screws 15 are headless screws or grub-screws, with a sunken hexagonal key seat (Figure 2). Said screws are screwed into respective threaded bushes 16 fixed to the box member 12 and situated in the lower face side of the lid 4 or seat 3 (Figure 1). Finally, again with reference to Figure 2 it can be seen that said screws are masked by press caps 17 preferably of the same colour as the elements 3 and 4.

Claims: A hinge for fixing cover elements to sanitary appliances such as lid or seat units for water closet pan, comprising a fixed element (5) designed to be secured to a rear hole (2) provided in the sanitary appliance (1), and at least one mobile element having a bar (11) which is inserted, as a free sliding fit, into a rear longitudinal chamber provided in the cover element, characterised in that the lower face of said bar (11) is provided with rack toothing (14) with which at least one pointed screw (15) engages, said pointed screw being screwed into the lower face of the cover element. A hinge as claimed in the preceding claim, characterised in that said longitudinal chamber consists of a metal box member (12) embedded in the seat (13) and provided lowerly with at least one threaded bush (16) into which said at least one pointed screw (15) is screwed.

Inventors: FAIT CLAUDIO, FAIT, CLAUDIO
Applicants: IDEAL STANDARD SPA, IDEAL STANDARD S.P.A.
Application year: 1989
Main classification: A47K13
IPC codes: A47K13, E05D7