Abstract:
An apparatus for locking the lid of a toilet includes a strut which is pivotted to the flush tank of the toilet and a coupling which is fixed to the lid. The coupling has a convoluted slot therein through which a portion of the strut is received. In order to unlock the lid one must simultaneously pivot both the lid and strut which requires manual dexterity not yet acquired by most toddlers and young children but possessed by adults and older children, thus protecting toddlers and young children from the dangers of flush toilets. 7

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The instant invention relates to a apparatus for securing pivotted members such as toilet seat lids. More particularly, the instant invention relates specifically to a device for keeping lids on toilet seats closed, whereby the chance of a toddler opening the lid is minimized. 
     2. Prior Art and Technical Considerations 
     Commodes have long been a source of danger to toddlers and small children because many commodes contain a sufficient quantity of water to drown a small child if the child happens to fall into the commode head first. Moreover, commodes are frequently unsanitary and can be a source of disease transmission and infection. Accordingly, it is preferable to secure the lids of commodes in order to minimize the dangers inherent therein. 
     The prior art includes an extensive array of toilet lid latches however, these latches have not proved particularly satisfactory in that they are frequently expensive to manufacture, difficult to install and not entirely satisfactory in use. That this is a long-standing problem as is perhaps indicated by U.S. Pat. No. 735,927 to Woodruff wherein a chain and padlock are used to secure the lid of the commode. More modern approaches are exemplified in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,524,470 and 4,479,273 wherein deflectable blocking arms are used to hold a lid against the toilet seat. The problem with this approach is that a great deal of force can be exerted when one lifts the seat, which force can easily break a plastic blocking arm. U.S. Pat. No. 3,395,408 discloses utilizing pairs of suction cups, one which holds the seat down and the other which holds the lid to the seat. Suction cups are notariously unreliable and frequently release too easily or seat too firmly. U.S. Pat. No. 2,996,731 discloses an articulated strut disposed between a toilet lid and toilet tank, which strut is held in place by suction cups. This however, is a complex device with springs and a multiplicity of moving parts which renders the device relatively expensive and difficult to install. 
     In view of these considerations, there is a need for a lid lock for commodes wherein the lid lock is inexpensive, easy to install, difficult for toddlers to manipulate, but easy for adults to manipulate. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the instant invention to provide a new and improved latch or lock for holding a pivotted member such as the lid of a commode closed. 
     Upon further study of the specification and appended claims, further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art. 
     The instant invention contemplates a strut which extends between one member, such as the lid of a commode, and another member such as the tank of the commode in order to secure same. Preferably, the strut is hinged to one member and releasably received in a coupling secured to the other member. The coupling has a convoluted slot therein which receives a portion of the strut. The convoluted slot requires pivoting of one member slightly with one hand and maneuvering the strut so as to exit through an opening in the coupling. The members can thereafter be pivotted with respect to one another. 
     The instant invention is particularly suitable for securing toilet seat lids against opening by toddlers and small children. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a prospective view of a latch for commode lids in combination with a commode in accordance with the principals of the instant invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged prospective view of the latch of FIG. 1 showing the components thereof detached from the commode; 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of the latch of FIG. 1 showing the commode seat retained in the closed position; 
     FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the lid of the commode in an open position; 
     FIG. 5 is a side view similar to FIGS. 3 and 4 but showing the lid returning to its closed position and the latch returning to its closed condition; 
     FIG. 6 is an enlarged side view showing how a coupling in accordance with the principals of the instant invention secures a strut when one attempts to unlatch the lid by lifting only the strut or only the lid; 
     FIG. 7 is a side view, similar to FIG. 6 but showing how the latch remains latched when one attempts to open the commode lid by lifting on the lid without properly aligning the strut; and 
     FIG. 8 is a prospective view showing how the strut is stored on the tank when not in use. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to FIG. 1 there is shown a commode, designated generally by the numeral 10, having a bowl 11 and a flush tank 12. The bowl 11 has a seat 13 which is closed by a lid 14. In accordance with the principals of the instant invention, the lid 14 is kept closed over the seat 13 by a latch, designated generally by the numeral 15, which extends from the lid 14 to the tank 12 and prevents one from lifting the lid without first manipulating the latch. In accordance with the principals of the instant invention, the latch 15 cannot be disengaged without first lifting the lid 14 slightly and thereafter disengaging the latch. This is a difficult feat for a toddler to perform since it requires the toddler to coordinate two manual operations while observing the results of those operations. However, an older child or an adult can easily manipulate the lid 14 and latch 15 to open the lid so as to gain access to the toilet bowl 11. 
     Referring now more specifically to FIG. 2, where the latch 15 is shown in greater detail, it is seen that the latch is comprised of a strut, designated generally by the numeral 20, in the form of a rectangular loop having a pair of longitudinal legs 21 and a pair of lateral legs 22 and 23. The strut 20 is formed of wire having a diameter of 0.177 inches. The loop has an inside length of 9.5 inches and an inside width of 1.5 inches. The lateral leg 22 is received in a single piece hinge, designated generally by the numeral 25, which hinge is made of a thermo plastic material, such as polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride. The hinge 25 has a journal 26 therein formed by a pair of projections 27 separated by a space 28. In accordance with the preferred embodiment, the hinge 25 has a height of 2.00 inches and a width of 1.50 inches; the journal 26 has a diameter of 0.2 inches; the slot 28 has a width of 0.17 inches, and the tops of the projections 27 form an angle of 60° with respect to one another. Consequently, the lateral leg 22 of the strut 20 can be easily securely snapped into the journal 26 of the hinge block 25. The hinge block 25 is adherred to the face of the tank 12 by an adhesive pad 30, which is preferably in the form of double-sided adhesive tape. The strut 20 can pivot from the locked position shown in FIG. 2 to the unlocked position shown in FIG. 4. In addition, the strut 20 can be removed from the hinge block 25 and stored thereon as shown in FIG. 8 with one of the longitudinal legs 21 retained within the journal 26. 
     The lateral leg 23 of the strut 20 is received in a coupling designated generally by the numeral 40. The coupling 40 is secured to the lid 14 of the commode 10 by a double sided adhesive pad 41 and has a length of about 2.0 inches and a width of about 1.25 inches. A convoluted slot, designated generally by the numeral 42, is provided in the coupling 40 to allow the lateral arm 23 of the strut 20 to enter the coupling. 
     As is perhaps best seen in FIG. 6 and 7, the coupling 40 includes a front ramp 43 which is disposed at 30° with respect to the bottom surface 44 of the coupling and a second front ramp 45 which is disposed at an angle of 45° with respect to the top 46 of the coupling and the bottom surface 44. The ramps 44 and 45 are separated by a space 50 disposed between a first vertical wall 51, which is 0.75 inches from the end 52 of the coupling 40 and a second vertical wall 53 which is 1.10 inches from the end 52 of the coupling. The space 50 leads to a convoluted slot, designated generally by the numeral 60, disposed in the block 40. The convoluted slot 60 has a front recess, 61 and a rear recess 62 connected by a relatively narrow passage 63. The front recess has a radius of 0.1 inches forming surface 65a about point 65 at the front end thereof and a similar surface 66a having a radius, 0.1 inches about the point 66 at the rear end thereof. The radii points 65 and 66 are positioned approximately 0.35 inches from the base 44 and laterally spaced 0.1 inch from one another. As is seen in FIG. 7, the front surface 65a of the front recess 61 forms first abutment abutting the lateral leg 23 of the strut 20 so as to prevent the lid 14 from rising in the direction of arrow A. When closing the lid 14, the lateral leg 23 rides over the rear curved surface 66a before passing through the passage 63. The passage 63 is 0.22 inches in height so that the lateral leg 23, which is 0.177 inches in diameter, will pass easily therethrough if resting on the bottom surface of the slot. The rear recess 62 has an abrupt lower shoulder 70 and a curved upper shoulder 71a which has a radius of 0.1 inches about center line 71. If one attempts to lift the lid 14 while the lateral leg 23 is in the slot 62 the lateral leg 23 will abut a second abutment formed by the shoulder 70 and prevent lifting of the lid 14. If one lifts the strut 15 to the dotted line position shown in FIG. 6, without simultaneously lifting the lid 14, the lateral leg 23 abuts the surface 71a which forms a third abutment that again prevents one from lifting the lid 14. The rear wall of the recess 62 is defined by a pair of curved surfaces 75a and 76a generated about radii points 75a and 76, respectively. Each radius is approximately 0.1 inches. The radii points 75 and 76 are spaced 0.18 inches from one another and spaced 1.35 inches from the end 52 of the coupling 40. 
     In order to successfully unlatch the lid 14 from the latch 15, one must first lift the lid 14 slightly so that the lateral leg 23 of the strut 20 can pass through the space 63. Thereafter, one must continue to lift the lid 14 so as to align the lateral leg 23 with the space 50. The strut 15 can then be lifted free of the coupling 14 by passing the lateral leg 23 through the slot 50. As is seen in FIG. 4, the strut 15 pivots about hinge 25 so as to rest against the front face of the tank 12. The lid 14 can then pivot back against the tank with the coupling 40 received in the space between the longitudinal legs 21 of the strut 20. 
     When one lowers the lid 14, the lateral leg 23 of the strut 15 engages the front ramp 43 of the coupling 40 and rides thereon until it falls through the space 50 into the convoluted slot 60. Thereafter, the lateral leg 23 rides over the surface 66a, through the space 63 and comes to rest in the rear recess 62 so as to secure the lid 14 against lifting by toddlers while permitting easy access by older children and adults as is illustrated in FIG. 6 and 7. 
     In order to properly position the hinge 25 and coupling 40 on a commode, an L-shaped template 80 is provided with the latch 15. As is seen in FIG. 3, the template 80 has a long leg 81 and a short leg 82. The template is made of cardboard and may be part of the package in which the latch 15 is contained. Upon bending the cardboard along a line 83 and holding the leg 82 against the tank 12 and leg 81 on the lid 14, one can easily position the hinge 25 on the tank and the coupling 40 on the lid using the adhesive pads 30 to 41, respectively. 
     If the lateral leg 23 of the strut 20 rests on the rear ramp 45 of the coupling 40 when the lid 14 is closed as is seen in FIG. 7, then when the lid is pivotted, the lateral leg 23 will ride down the rear ramp 45 and through the opening 50 so as to be received in the convoluted slot 60. As one continues to pivot the lid 14, the lateral leg 23 will jamb against surface 65a, thus blocking further opening of the lid. When one releases the lid, the lateral leg 23 will enter the slot 62. 
     As is seen in all the drawings the hinge 25 and coupling 40 each have constant cross-sections when the cross-section is taken through the dimension perpendicular to the sides of the hinge and coupling. Consequently, both the hinge 25 and coupling 40 may be formed by extruding thermoplastic material and cutting the extrusion at selected intervals spaced about 2.0 inches apart for the hinge and 1.5 inches apart for the coupling. 
     From the foregoing description, one skilled in the art can easily ascertain the essential characteristics of this invention, and without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, can make various changes and modifications of the invention to adapt it to various usages and conditions.