Abstract:
A holder arrangement for a toilet-bowl having a body, a seat and a lid includes a holder with a case and a bottom opening for inserting a pair of operating hinges and a pair of opposite, coaxial, side openings at opposite ends of the holder case. A pair of fixtures project horizontally from the holder case for fixed the arrangement to the body of the toilet bowl. The pair of operating hinges each have a hinge case with a pair of legs and a rotating shaft projecting from the hinge case. The hinge cases and rotating shafts are coaxial to each other in the holder case, the operating hinges being inserting into the holder case through the bottom opening of the holder case and the rotating shafts extending out of the holder case through the side openings of the holder case. One rotating shaft is adapted for connection to the seat and the other is for connection to the lid. An engagement mechanism has of a pair of engagement pieces inside the holder case. Each engagement piece is for engaging one leg of each hinge case for fixing each hinge case in an axial position in the holder case.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a bolder for removably holding hinges which support a seat and seat lid, respectively, of a toilet bowl. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     One of the hinge holders of this type is known from the disclosure In the Japanese Patent Application No. 255855/94 (Japanese Provisional Publication No. 117148/96) of the Applicant of the present invention, Which proposed a hinge holder comprising a case provided with fixtures which are to be secured to the body of a toilet bowl and open at either axial end thereof. The case has an engagement means formed on the inner wall thereof in the proximity of each axial end thereof. A hinge case for each of toilet-bowl seat and seat lid operating hinges is inserted axially into the holder through a corresponding one of the end openings of the holder and engaged on a corresponding one of the engagement means. Each hinge comprises a rotating shaft having formed axially through it a non-circular hole into which there is engaged a non-circular fixing pin on which fixtures of the seat and seat lid are fitted. Thus the holder accommodates and holds therein the hinge came of the hinge. 
     The toilet-bowl seat and seat lid operating hinge have further been improved in that an adjusting screw is, penetrated axially through the rotating shaft; there are provided a stationary cam member in which the rotating shaft is inserted coaxially and which is not rotatable itself and a rotatable sliding cam member in which the rotating shaft is inserted coaxially and which is rotatable with the rotating shaft and slidable of the rotatable sliding cam member, the rotatable sliding cam member being located opposite to the stationary cam member, there is provided between the rotatable sliding cam member and a spring holder screwed to one end of the adjusting screw inside the hinge case a compression spring of which the effective length is to be adjusted by turning the adjusting screw to increase or decrease the elasticity of the compression spring in order to adjust the torque of the rotating shaft. 
     This operating hinge is disadvantageous in that if the fixture of the seat or seat lid is installed in the end opening of the holder formed axially of the rotating shaft with a fixing pin as in the conventional hinges of this type, when the hinge case has been engaged into the end opening of the holder, the fixing pin will interfere with manipulation of the rotating shaft so that the torque of the rotating shaft cannot freely be adjusted by means of the adjusting screw after the seat and seat lid are installed. 
     For the torque or the rotating shaft to be adjustable after the seat and seat lid are installed to the operating hinge and the rotating shaft to be removably installed in the holder, the rotating shaft of the operating hinge should be extended integrally by a fixing shaft portion on which the fixture of the seat or seat lid is to be secured and the head of the adjusting screw penetrated axially in the rotating shaft should be exposed at one end of the fixing shaft portion. 
     Thus in case the hinge case of the operating hinge is inserted into the case of the conventional holder through the opening formed at either end of the case. If the fixture of the seat or seat lid is independent of the seat or seat lid and removably fixable to the seat or seat lid, the fixture can be removed from the seat or seat lid and first inserted and fitted on the fixing shaft portion of the rotating shaft of the operating hinge of which the hinge case has been engaged in the case of the holder through the end opening, and then the end portion of the seat or seat lid can be installed on the fixture of the seat or seat lid. Therefore, the conventional holder is compatible with such a hinge so long as the fixtures of the seat and seat lid are removable. However, if the fixtures of the seat and seat lid are formed integrally with them, respectively, not to be removable, the fixtures of the seat and seat lid will interfere with installation of the operating hinges into the conventional holder, so that the hinges cannot be installed into the holder. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the present invention has an object to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art by providing a holder for operating hinges for a toilet-bowl seat and seat lid having fixtures integrally provided thereon, respectively, and which can be installed to the hinges, respectively, and also for operating hinges each having an operating shaft having a fixing shaft portion on which the fixtures of the seat and seat lid are to be fitted and which is to be projected out of a hinge case, in which operating hinges the torque of the operating shaft can freely be adjusted after the seat and seat lid are installed to the 
     The above object can be attained by providing a holder in which a pair of operating hinges for a toilet-bowl seat and seat lid, respectively, is accommodated coaxially to be removable, comprising according to the present invention: 
     a case open at the bottom thereof and at either end thereof, 
     engagement means provided inside the case and on which the operating hinges in pair are partially engaged respectively; and 
     fixtures provided outside the case and by which the case is to be fixed to the body of the toilet bowl; 
     the pair of operating hinges being to be inserted into the case from the bottom opening of the case and engaged on the engagement means; and 
     fixing shaft portions of rotating shafts of the hinges on which the fixtures of the seat and seat lid are coaxially fitted being to be projected out from the end openings of the case. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, the engagement means may be engagement pieces provided inside the case and on which the operating hinges accommodated in the case are partially engaged. 
     According to a still another aspect of the present invention, the engagement means may be engagement projections provided inside the case and on which the ends of the pair of operating hinges accommodated in the case are engaged. 
     According to a yet another aspect of the present invention, the engagement means may be a fixing block inserted into the case from the bottom opening of the case and which abuts the ends of the pair of operating hinges accommodated in the case. 
     The above object can be attained also by providing a holder in which a pair of operating hinges for a toilet-bowl seat and seat lid, respectively, is accommodated coaxially to be removable, comprising according to the present invention: 
     a case open at the top whereof and at either end thereof; 
     fixtures provided outside the case and by which the case is to be fixed to the body of the toilet bowl; 
     a cover removably attached over the top opening of the case, and 
     engagement pieces provided inside the cover to engage the ends of the operating hinges accommodated in the case; 
     the pair of operating hinges being to be inserted into the case from the top opening of the case; 
     fixing shaft portions of rotating shafts of the hinges on which the fixtures of the seat and seat lid tire coaxially fitted being to be projected out from the end openings of the case: and 
     the engagement pieces provided on the cover resting on the ends of the operating hinges. 
     These objects and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a plan view of a toilet bowl provided with a first embodiment of the holder according to the present invention and which holds a hinge which supports a seat and seat lid of the toilet bowl openably and closably; 
     FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the toilet bowl in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a partially sectional front view of the holder according to the present invention and in which the hinge for supporting the toilet-bowl seat and seat lid openably and closably is installed; 
     FIG. 4 is a partially sectional front view of a hinge for supporting the toilet seat and sent lid openably and closably and suitable for installation in the holder according to the present invention, 
     FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view illustrating how to install the hinge for supporting the toilet seat and seat lid openably and closably in the holder according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 shows a portion A in FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the holder according to the present invention, 
     FIG. 8 shows how end of the hinge is engaged on an engagement projection provided on the inner wall of a hinge compartment of a case of the holder in FIG. 7; 
     FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a third embodiment of the holder according to the present invention; and 
     FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the holder according to the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to FIGS. 1 to  6 , there is illustrated the first embodiment of the hinge holder according to the present invention. In Figures, the reference numeral  1  indicates the body of a toilet bowl,  2  indicates a hinge holder according to the present invention,  3  and  4  indicate a hinge for a seat  5  of the toilet bowl and a hinge for a seat lid  6  of the toilet bowl, respectively. The hinges  3  and  4  are removably installed inside the holder  2 . 
     The holder  2  comprises a case  7  formed from a synthetic resin to have a semi-cylindrical shape open at the bottom thereof (as indicated with a reference numeral  7   b ) and at either end thereof (as indicated with reference numeral  7   c ), a pair of fixtures  8  projecting from the case  7 , and a pair of engagement pieces  9  formed on the inner wall of the case  7  in the proximity of each end opening  7   c.    
     The hinges  3  and  4  are inserted into the case  7  of the holder  2  form the bottom opening  7   b , and rotating shafts  10  and  11  of the hinges  3  and  4 , respectively, are projected out through the end openings  7   c  of the case  7 . The hinges  3  and  4  have hinge cases  12  and  13 , respectively, The hinge cases  12  and  13  are provided with FIGS. 12 a  and  12   b  and  13   a  and  13   b , respectively, which extend downward, The logs  12   a  and  13   a  of the hinges  3  and  4 , respectively, are fixed by engagement on the engagement pieces  9 , respectively. The inside diameter of the end openings  7   c  is same as or smaller than the outside diameter of the, hinge cases  12  and  13  of the hinges  3  and  4  inserted in the case  7 , and the case  7  has an end plate  7   d  at either end thereof (namely, the end opening  7   c  is formed in this end plate  7   d ). Therefore, the hinges  3  and  4  once inserted in the case  7  will not come out of the end openings  7   c  axially of the case  7 . 
     In FIG. 3, the left one ( 3 ) of the hinges  3  and  4  in pair accommodated in the case  7  of the holder  2  is for use with the seat  5  and the right one ( 4 ) is for use with the seat lid  6 . It will be appreciated that the hinges  3  and  4  arm basically of a same internal structure provided that compression springs used in them, respectively, are different in elasticity from each other and also cam members are different in shape from each other mainly because the seat  5  and seat lid  6  are different in weight from each other. 
     Therefore, only the hinge  3  for the seat  5  will be described below concerning its structure. 
     The hinge case  12  of the hinge  3  is shaped cylindrical. The hinge case  12  has the above-mentioned pair of legs  12   a  and  12   b  spaced a predetermined distance from each other. When the hinge  3  is inserted into the case  7  of the holder  2 , one of the pair of legs  12   a  and  12   b  at one end of the hinge case  12  is engaged on the engagement piece  9  inside the case  7  to block the hinge  3  from moving axially inside the case  7 . Each of the legs  12   a  and  12   b  in pair has a bottom end formed to be flush with the bottom plane of the case  7  when the hinge  3  is set in the case  7 . 
     As best seen from FIG. 4, there is provided inside the hinge case  12  of the hinge  3  near the left end thereof a partition  14  having formed therein a bearing hole  14   a  through which the rotating shaft  10  extends axially inside the hinge case  12  and is rotatably installed therein. The rotating shaft  10  has a stepped central through-hole  16  formed therein and extending longitudinally thereof. An adjusting screw  17  is installed through the through-hole  16  and has a head  17   a  thereof engaged in a large-diameter portion  16   a  of the though-hole  16 . The free-end portion of the adjusting screw  17  extending inside the case  7  is projected out of the end of the rotating shaft  10 . A nut  17   b  screwed on the projecting portion of the adjusting screw  17  retains a spring holder  18 . The reference numeral  17   c  indicates a washer. The spring holder  18  has formed at one end thereof a flange  18   a  which is in contact with the inner wall of the hinge case  12 , and axially at the other end thereof a non-circular central engagement hole  18   b  which is engaged on a non-circular small-diameter portion  10   a  of the rotating shaft  10 . The Spring holder  18  is thus rotatable with the rotating shaft  10  and axially slidable inside the hinge case  12 . The reference numeral  18   c  indicates a small hole formed in the spring holder  18  and through which the adjusting screw  17  is penetrated. The rotating shaft  10  has a non-circular fixing portion  10   b  and a large-diameter portion  10   c  contiguous to the fixing portion  10   b . The large diameter portion  10   c  has an outside diameter generally same as the inside diameter of the hinge case  12 , and a circumferential groove  10   d  in which a rubber-made damper ring  19  is fitted. The damper ring  19  has a plurality of circumferential recesses  19   a  formed on the outer surface, and a viscous oil is filled between the outer surface of the damper ring  19  and inner wall of the hinge case  12 . 
     As best seen from FIGS. 3 and 4, there is provided inside the hinge case  12  a stationary cam member  20  having provided at one end thereof a plurality of projections  20   a  engaged in a plurality of engagement holes  14   b  formed in the partition  14 . The stationary cam member  20  has formed coaxially thereof a through-hole  20   b  having a circular section and through which the non-circular small-diameter portion load of the rotating shaft  10  is rotatably penetrated. The stationary cam member  20  has a cam portion  20   e  consisting of a crest  20   c  and trough  20   d . Also a rotatable sliding cam member  21  is provided opposite to the cam portion  20   e  of the stationary cam member  20 . It has formed coaxially thereof a non-circular through-hole  21   a  through which the non-circular small-diameter portion  10   a  of the rotating shaft  10  is penetrated. Thus the rotatable sliding cam member  21  rotates with the rotating shaft  10  and is also slidable axially of the rotating shaft  10 . The rotatable sliding cam member  21  has a cam portion  21   d  consisting of a crest  21   b  and trough  21   c . The cam portion  21   d  is opposite the cam portion  21   e  of the stationary cam member  20 . There is provided between the rotatable sliding cam member  21  and the spring holder  18   a  compression spring  22  wound on the outer surface of the spring holder  18  and which forces the rotatable gliding cam member  21  towards the stationary cam member  20 . 
     As shown in FIG. 3, the seat  5  has a fixture  5   a  in which a non-circular through-hole  5   b  is formed. With the non-circular fixing shaft portion  10   b  of the rotating shaft  10  penetrated through the through-hole  5   b , the rotating shaft  10  is rotated with the seat  5  when the latter is operated (opened or closed). The seat lid  6  has a fixture  6   a  in which a circular through-hole  6   c  is formed. With the fixing shaft portion  10   b  of the rotating shaft  10  penetrated through the through-hole  6   c , the seat lid  6  is pivoted about the rotating shaft  10  when it is opened or closed. Namely, the seat lid  6  will not rotate with the rotating shaft  10 . 
     On the other hand, the rotating shaft  11  of the right-hand operating hinge  4  for the seat lid  6  bas a non-circular fixing portion  11   b  The fixing portion  11   b  is penetrated through a non-circular through-hole  6   b  in a fixture  6   a  of the seat lid  6 , and the fixture  5   a  of the seat  5  has a circular through-hole  5   c  formed through it. Therefore, the rotating shaft  11  of the right-hand operating hinge  4  rotate with the seat lid  6  when the latter is operated, while it will not rotate when the seat  5  is operated. 
     In case the fixtures  5   a  and  6   a  are formed integrally with the seat  5  and seat lid  6 , respectively, as in the present invention, the non-circular through-holes  5   b  and  6   b  and circular through-holes  5   c  and  6   c  in the fixtures  5   a  and,  6   a  are applied axially of the end openings  7   c  of the case  7  of the holder  2 , and any one of the operating hinges  3  and  4  is first introduced into the case  7  from the bottom opening  7   b . Then the next operating hinge is inserted into the case  7 . More particularly, the operating hinge  2  is inserted from the bottom opening  7   b  into the case of the holder  2  and then displaced axially so that the rotating shaft  10  is projected out of the end opening  7   c  of the case  7 , and the leg  12   a  is engaged on the engagement piece  9  while the rotating shaft  10  is introduced into the non-circular through-hole  5   b  and circular through-hole  6   c  in the fixtures,  5   a  and  6   a  respectively of the seat  5  and seat lid  6 , respectively, Thereafter, the operating hinge  4  is inserted into the case  7  from the bottom opening  7   b  and displaced axially so that the rotating shaft  11  is projected out of the other end opening  7   c  of the case  7  of the holder  2 , and the leg  13   a  is engaged on the engagement piece  9  while the rotating shaft  11  is introduced into the circular through-hole  5   c  and non-circular through-hole  6   b  in the other fixtures  5   a  and  6   a , respectively, of the seat  5  and seat lid  6 , respectively. 
     The holder  2  is positioned in place on the toilet-bowl body  1 , and the fixtures  8  of the holder  2  are Secured to the toilet-bowl body  1  with fixing bolts  23 . 
     After this installation, when the seat  5  is operated, the rotating shaft  10  is rotated correspondingly with the seat  5 . With the seat  5  in closed position, the crest  20   c  of the cam portion  20   e  of the stationary cam member  20  is in contact with the crest  21   b  of the cam portion  21   d  of the rotatable sliding cam member  21  under the elasticity of the compression spring  22 . When the seat  5  in opened position, the rotatable sliding cam member  21  rotates with the rotating shaft  10  so that the crest  21   b  of the rotatable sliding cam member  21  enters into the trough  26   d  of the stationary cam member  20 . When the crest  21   b  has fully entered in the trough  20   d , the seat  5  is fully opened (110°). When the Seat  5  is closed from the opened position, the crest  21   b  of the cam portion  21   d  will move from the trough  20   d  of the cam portion  20   e  towards the crest  20   c  against the elasticity of the compression spring  22 . Thus, the sent  5  will be closed gently, not suddenly. Namely, the damper ring  19  will function to control the rotation of the rotating shaft  10 . 
     The damper ring  19  should preferably have formed on the outer surface thereof a plurality of circumferential recesses  19   a  which will evenly spread an applied viscous over the outer surface of the damper ring  197  which will thus prevent any oil shortage. 
     To adjust the torque of the rotating shaft  10 , a screwdriver is inserted from the end of the fixing shaft portion  10   b  of the rotating shaft  10  to turn the adjusting screw  17  clockwise or counterclockwise. It is not necessary to remove the operating hinge  3  from inside the holder  2 . The spring holder  18  will move to the right or left so that the compression spring  22  will have the effective length thereof changed correspondingly. Thus the elasticity of the compression spring  22  can be adjusted whereby the torque of the rotating shaft  10  can freely be adjusted even after installing the operating hinge  3 . This adjusting procedure is also true for the right-hand operating hinge  4 . 
     FIGS. 7 and 8 show together another embodiment of the holder according to the present invention. The holder is generally indicated with a reference numeral  30 . As shown, the holder  30  comprise a case  31 , fixtures  32 , bottom opening  31   b , end openings  31   c , and end plates  31   d . Namely, the holder  30  is similar to the aforementioned embodiment except that the engagement pieces are not provided but only abutments  33  on which the legs of the operating hinges abut are provided inside the case  31  in the proximity of either end of the end openings  31   c  and pair of engagement projections  34  is provided on the upper inner wall of the case  31  with a predetermined distance between them. 
     According to this embodiment, the opening hinge accommodated into the case  31  from the bottom opening is blocked against axial movement by the engagement of the engagement projections  34  on one end of the hinge case  13  as will be best seen from FIG.  8 . 
     FIG. 9 shows a still another embodiment of the holder according to the present invention. The holder is generally indicated with a reference numeral  40 . The holder  40  comprises a case  41 , fixtures  42 , bottom openings  41   b  end openings  41   c , end plates  41   d  and abutments  43 . Namely, this embodiment is similar to the above-mentioned section embodiment of the holder according to the present invention provided that the engagement projections to engage the ends of the operating hinges are not provided and a fixing block  44  is installed removably inside the case  41 . The fixing block  44  is to be inserted between opposite ends of the pair of operating hinges accommodated in the case  41 . The fixing block  44  has formed at each corner thereof an engagement recess  44   a  in which each of engagement pieces  41   e  provided inside the case  41  is fitted. After the operating hinges are accommodated into the case, the fixing block  44  is introduced into the case to prevent the operating hinges from being moved axially. 
     According to this embodiment, the case  41  can be prevented from being expanded longitudinally and laterally. The operating hinges accommodated in the case  41  can be more securely fixed inside the case  41 . 
     FIG. 10 shows a further embodiment of the holder according to the present invention, The holder is generally indicated with a reference numeral  50 . The holder  50  comprises a case  51 , fixtures  53 , end opening  51   c , end plates  5   d  and abutments  55 . Thus, this embodiment is similar to the aforementioned second and third embodiments except that the case  51  has formed at the top thereof an opening  51   b  through which the operating hinges  3  and  4  can be inserted into the case  50  front above and a cover  52  is provided to cover the top opening  51   b . The case  51  is not open at the bottom thereof but it has a bottom plate  51   g.    
     According to this embodiment, each of the operating hinges  3  and  4  can be inserted into the case  51  of the holder  50  from the top opening  51   b  and displaced axially. With legs  12   a  and  13   a  placed to abut the abutments  55 , the rotating shaft  10  and  11  is projected out of the respective end openings  51   c . Next, the cover  52  is attached on the top of the case  51 . Using a screw (not shown), the cover  52  is fixed to a fixing boss  51   e  projected upright from the bottom plate  51   f  of the case  51 . Engagement pieces  52   a  provided inside the cover  52  abut the ends of the operating hinges  3  and  4  to block the opening hinges  3  and  4  from being moved axially. 
     In the aforementioned embodiments of the holder according to the present invention, fixing concavities are provided in the fixtures by which the holder is secured to the body of a toilet bowl as will be seen from Figures and the concavities receive the beads of fixing bolts used to secure the holder to the toilet-bowl body. Covers are attached over the concavities as necessary.