Patent Publication Number: US-2018042434-A1

Title: Seat assembly for a toilet

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a non-provisional claiming the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/372,831 filed 10 Aug. 2016. The disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The present teachings generally concern toilets. More particularly, the present teachings concern a seat assembly for a toilet including a mounting unit for securing the seat assembly to a toilet base. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Various arrangements are known for attaching a toilet seat the base of a toilet. Removal often requires various tools and discrete parts that may become lost or otherwise misplaced. Furthermore, removal and reattachment of a toilet seat typically requires the operator to access the bottom of bolts that pass through holes in a back flange of the toilet bowl. Such access is frequently awkward if not impossible given the limited working space available in most bathrooms. As a result, replacement of toilet seats is time consuming and removal of traditional seats for thorough cleaning is generally disregarded. 
     To a much more limited extent, quick release arrangements for securing a toilet seat to a bowl are known. An example of such a quick release arrangement is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 8,327,471. U.S. Pat. No. 8,327,471, hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein, provides a mounting assembly for mounting a seat to a toilet having a base with a pair of mounting holes. The mounting assembly includes a base member and first and second members for insertion into first and second of the pairs of mounting holes, respectively. The first member is interconnected to the base member. The second member is interconnected to the base member and spaced apart from the first member by a distance. The distance between the first member and the second member is adjustable for creating a clamping force between the first and second members and the first and second mounting holes, respectively. 
     While known arrangements for attaching a toilet seat to the base of a toilet, including but not limited to arrangement shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,327,471, may provide certain advantages, continuous improvement in the pertinent art remains desirable. 
     SUMMARY 
     It is one particular object of the present teachings to provide a mounting assembly for mounting a seat to a toilet having a base with a pair of mounting holes that functions to create a vertically directed clamping force between a base portion of the mounting assembly a base of the toilet. 
     It is another particular object of the present teachings to provide a mounting assembly for mounting a seat to a toilet having a base with a pair of mounting holes that functions to both create a vertically directed clamping force between a base portion of the mounting assembly a base of the toilet and a horizontally directed clamping force between two mounting members. 
     In accordance with one aspect, the present teachings provide a mounting assembly for mounting a seat to a toilet having a base with a pair of mounting holes includes a base member, a first member and a second member. The first member is for insertion into a first of the pair of mounting holes. The first member interconnected to the base member. The second member is for insertion into a second of the pair of mounting holes. The second member is interconnected to the base member and spaced apart from the first member by a horizontal distance. At least one of the first and second members is operative for clamping the mounting assembly to the toilet in a vertical direction. 
     In accordance with another aspect, the present teachings provide a mounting assembly for mounting a seat to a toilet. The toilet has a base with a pair of mounting holes. The mounting assembly includes a base member and a translatable member carried by the base member. The mounting assembly additionally further includes a first mounting member and a second mounting member. The first mounting member is non-translatably carried by the base member and includes a first upper end and a first lower end. The second mounting member is carried by the translatable member and includes a second upper end and a second lower end. The mounting assembly further includes a first clamp member, a second clamp member and a third clamp member. The first clamp member is pivotally coupled to the base member. The second clamp member is pivotally coupled to the base member. The third clamp member is attached to the translatable member. The first clamp member is rotatable from an unlatched position to a latched position to translate the translatable member toward the first clamp member. The first lower end of the first mounting member and the second lower end of the second mounting member are both adjustable in a horizontal direction to create a horizontally directed clamping force between the first and second members and the toilet. 
     In accordance with yet another aspect, the present teachings provide a method of mounting a seat to a toilet. The method includes clamping the mounting assembly to the toilet in a horizontal direction and adjusting a horizontal distance between a first member and the second member to thereby create a horizontally directed clamping force between the first and second members and the toilet. 
     Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
    
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
       The present teachings will become more fully understood from the detailed description, the appended claims and the following drawings. 
         FIG. 1  is a top view of a toilet seat assembly in accordance with the present teachings. 
         FIG. 2A  is a perspective view of the toilet seat assembly in accordance with the present teachings, a lid of the assembly shown articulated to a closed position, the toilet seat assembly shown operatively associated with a toilet. 
         FIG. 2B  is an exploded perspective view of the toilet seat assembly in accordance with the present teachings and a conventional base, a lid of the assembly shown articulated to an open position. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a mounting assembly of the toilet seat assembly in accordance with the present teachings. 
         FIG. 3A  is an enlarged side perspective view of one of the mounting members of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 4  is a front view of the mounting assembly according to the present teachings shown with a cover removed and a latching or clamping mechanism in a latched condition. 
         FIG. 5  is another front view of the mounting assembly according to the present teachings shown with a cover removed and a latching or clamping mechanism in an unlatched condition. 
         FIG. 6  is a bottom view of the mounting assembly according to the present teachings shown with a cover removed and a latching or clamping mechanism in a latched condition. 
         FIG. 7  is another bottom view of the mounting assembly according to the present teachings shown with a cover removed and a latching or clamping mechanism in an unlatched condition. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS ASPECTS 
     The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features. The description and any specific examples, while indicating embodiments of the present disclosure, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
     With general reference to the drawings, a seat assembly for a toilet in accordance with the present teachings is illustrated and generally identified at reference character  10 . The seat assembly  10  may generally include a seat  12  and a lid  14 . The seat assembly  10  may further generally include a mounting unit or mounting assembly  16  for mounting the seat assembly  10  to a toilet. It will be understood that in certain applications (e.g., commercial uses), the seat assembly  10  may not include a lid  14 . 
     As will become more apparent below, the mounting assembly  16  may be operative for attaching the seat  12  and the lid  14  to the toilet for pivotal movement about a pivot axis A (see  FIG. 2B ). Except as may be otherwise described herein, it will be understood that the seat  12  and lid  14  are conventional in both construction and operation. In this regard, the mounting assembly  16  may be used with various other seats and lids within the scope of the present teachings. 
     The mounting assembly  16  may generally include a base or base portion  18 . In one application, the base portion  18 , also referred herein to a base member  18 , may be constructed of plastic. It will be appreciated, however, that the base member  18  may be alternatively constructed of any other material having suitable strength and durability characteristics. The base portion  18  may include a first portion or lower portion  20 . The first portion  20  may be generally oriented in a horizontal plane. The base portion  18  may additionally include a second portion or upwardly extending portion  22  that upwardly extends from the first portion  20 . The second portion  22  may be integrally formed with the first portion  20  or may be a discrete portion suitably attached to and carried by the first portion  20 . 
     The second portion  22  may define openings  24 . The openings  24  may align with each other and with conventional openings provided in the seat  12  and the lid  14 . These aligning openings  24  may receive pins  26  which cooperate to define the pivot axis A. Through this pivot pin interconnection, the seat  12  and lid  14  may be rotated about the pivot axis A. The lid  14  is shown in a closed or lowered position in  FIG. 2A , for example. The lid  14  is shown in a raised or open position in  FIG. 2B , for example. The seat  12  may similarly be articulated between lowered and raised positions. 
     The mounting assembly  16  may further include one or more mounting members  28 . In the embodiment illustrated, the mounting assembly includes first and second mounting members  28 A and  28 B. As will become more apparent below, the mounting members  28 A and  28 B may be operative to clamp the mounting assembly  16  to the toilet  29  in a horizontal direction. The mounting assembly  16  may be further operative for adjusting a horizontal distance between the first member  28 A and the second member  28 B to thereby create a horizontally directed clamping force between the first and second members  28 A and  28 B and the toilet  29 . 
     The mounting members  28  may be substantially identical to one other and may function to engage conventional mounting holes  25  defined in the base  27  of a toilet  29 . With reference  FIG. 3A , an enlarged view of one of the mounting members  28  is illustrated. As shown, the mounting members  28  include a threaded shaft  30  and a lower end  32 . The threaded shaft  30  of the first mounting member  28 A threadably engages a first threaded hole  34  of the base  18 . The threaded shaft  30  of the second mounting member  28 B threadably engages a second threaded hole  36  of the base  18 . As will become more clear below, the second threaded shaft threadably engages a translatable member  38  of the base  18 . The threads of the first and second threaded holes  34  and  36  may be defined by threaded sleeves (not specifically shown). 
     The lower ends  32  of each mounting member  28  may be constructed of a plastic material or other material that is slightly deformable. The lower ends  32  may be non-rotatably carried by the respective threaded shaft  30 . The threaded shafts  30  pass through the holes  34  and  36  and threadably engage the holes  34  and  36 . In the embodiment illustrated, the lower ends  32  each include a first portion  40  and a second portion  42 . At least one of the first portion  40  and the threaded shaft  30  passes through a corresponding hole  25  is the base  27  of the toilet  29 . The second portions  42  also pass through the holes  25  such that the mounting assembly  10  may be solely attached to the toilet  29  from an upper side of the toilet  29 . 
     In the embodiment illustrated, at least one of the first and second mounting members  28  may be movably associated with the first portion  20  of the base member  18 . In one particular application, the first mounting member  28 A may be non-movable carried by the first portion  20  and the second mounting member  28 B may be movably carried by the first portion  20 . In other applications, both of the first and second mounting members  28 A and  28 B may be movably carried by the first portion  20  of the base member  18 . 
     The translatable member or movable member  38  of the base  18  may be carried by the remainder of the base portion  18  for movement between a first position or latched position (see  FIGS. 4 and 6 , for example) and a second position or unlatched position (see  FIGS. 5 and 7 , for example). The translatable member  38  may be received within an opening  44  defined by first portion  20  of the base portion  18  and may be supported by the base portion  18 . 
     The translatable member  38  defines the opening  36  for receiving the second mounting member  28 B. Alternatively, the second mounting member  28 B may be integrally formed with the translatable member  38 . In this regard, a portion of the translatable member  38  may be formed to be received within one of the apertures defined by the toilet base  27 . 
     The mounting assembly  16  may further include a latching or clamping arrangement  52 . The clamping arrangement  52  may be operable to move the first and second mounting members  28 A and  28 B relative to one another. Explaining further, the clamping arrangement  52  may be operative for moving the translatable member  38  between the first position and the second position. In the embodiment illustrated, the clamping arrangement  52  is operative for drawing the first and second mounting members  28 A and  28 B toward one another to engage the sidewalls of holes  25  of the toilet base  27 . In other applications within the scope of the present teachings, however, the clamping arrangement  52  may operative for forcing the first and second mounting members  28 A and  28 B away from one another to engage the sidewalls of holes  25  of the toilet base  27 . 
     The clamping arrangement  52  may include a first latch member  54  and a second latch member  56 . The first latch member  54  may be pivotally carried by the first portion  20  of the base portion  18 . In this regard, the first latch member  54  may be connected to the first portion  20  through a pin  58  that engages holes  60  in the first portion  20 . The first latch member  54  is rotatable between an unlatched position (see  FIGS. 5 and 7 ) and a latched position (see  FIGS. 4 and 6 ). A first end of the second latch member  56  may be pivotally couple to the first latch member  54  through a pin  62 . The pin  62  may pass through a through-hole in the first end of the second latch member  56  and may engage holes in the first latch member  54 . 
     The clamping arrangement  52  may include a third latch member  64 . The third latch member  64  may include a hook portion at one end. The hook portion may engage a cross member  65  of the translatable member  38 . A second end of the third latch member may define a pair of holes  66 . 
     The clamping arrangement  52  may further include an elastically compressible member  68 . In one application, the elastically compressible member  68  may be constructed of a block of plastic or other suitable material. In other applications within the scope of the present teachings, the elastically compressible member may include one or more springs, such as compression springs. 
     The elastically compressible member  68  defines a pair of openings  69  that receive a corresponding pair of pins  70 . The pins  70  pass through the openings  69  and engage the openings  66  in the third latch member  64 . Explaining further, the pins  70  may engage the openings  66  in the third latch member through threads or through a press-fit. 
     The mounting assembly  16  may further include a cover  80 . The cover  80  may be connected to the first portion  20  of the base portion  18 . In the embodiment illustrated, the cover  80  is connected to the first portion  20  through a snap-fit. In other applications, the cover  80  may be connected to the first portion for articulation between an open position and a closed position. 
     In use, the first latch member  54  is rotated relative to the base portion  18  to an unlatched position (as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 7 , for example). In this first position, the first and second mounting members  28 A and  28 B are spaced apart a first horizontal distance and the mounting assembly  16  is in an unlocked or unlatched condition. The first horizontal distance is suitable for introducing the threaded shafts  30  of the first and second mounting members  28 A and  28 B into the holes  25  defined by the base  27  of the toilet  29  and to allow the second portions  32  of the lower ends  32  to pass completely through the holes  25 . 
     The seat assembly  10  may be secured to the toilet through rotation of the first latch member  54  to the latched position (as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 6 , for example). When the first latch member  54  is moved from the unlatched position to the latched position, the second latch member  56  is drawn in the direction of the first latch member  54 . Resultantly, the elastically compressible member  68  is slightly compressed and the third latch member  64  is drawn toward the first latch member  54  so as to translate the translatable member  38  toward the first latch member  54 . This movement draws the second mounting member  28 B toward the first mounting member  28 A and resultant applies a force against the inner sidewall of holes  25  in the base  27  of the toilet  29 . The elastic compression of the elastically compressible member  68  provides a biasing force against the inner sidewalls of the holes of the toilet base and also serves to accommodate tolerances between the holes that is common in china. 
     In this latched position, the first and second mounting members  28 A and  28 B are spaced apart a second horizontal distance Y. This second horizontal distance Y may be different than the first horizontal distance X such that the threaded shafts  30  of the first and second mounting members  28 A and  28 B apply a force against the inner walls of the holes  25  defined by the toilet  29  and thereby secure the seat assembly  10  to the toilet. In the application shown throughout the drawings, the applied forces of the first and second mounting members  28 A and  28 B are toward one another. Alternatively, these forces may be in opposite directions (e.g. away from one another). 
     After the first latch member is moved to the latched position, the threaded shafts  30  of the first and second mounting members  28 A and  28 B may be rotated (for example, in a clockwise direction), the clamp the base of the toilet  29  vertically between the lower ends  32  and the base  18 . 
     According to the present teachings and consistent with the above description, in the preferred method the latching arrangement  52  is first moved to the latched or clamped position in which the mounting members  28 A and  28 B are drawn toward one another to establish the horizontally directed clamping force with toilet  29 . After this first general step, the lower ends  32  of the mounting members  28 A and  28 B are no longer concentric with the holes  25  of the base  27  of the toilet  29 . In a subsequent step, the shafts of the mounting members  28 A and  28 B are rotated to draw the lower ends of the mounting members  28 A and  28 B against the toilet  29  and thereby create the vertically directed clamping force. While a preferred method has been disclosed, it will be understood that these two general steps may be reversed within the scope of the present teachings. 
     Accordingly, a seat assembly  10  is disclosed which may be secured to a toilet without the need of accessing fastener components on an underside of the toilet. In this regard, the seat assembly  10  may be easily and quickly installed by a user without the need of the user to lie on the floor or otherwise access the underside of a portion of the toilet. The seat assembly  10  further operates to more securely fasten the seat  12  to the toilet as compared to known mounting arrangements. 
     While specific examples have been described in the specification and illustrated in the drawings, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalence may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the present teachings as defined in the claims. Furthermore, the mixing and matching of features, elements and/or functions between various examples may be expressly contemplated herein so that one skilled in the art would appreciate from the present teachings that features, elements and/or functions of one example may be incorporated into another example as appropriate, unless described otherwise above. Moreover, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the present teachings without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it may be intended that the present teachings not be limited to the particular examples illustrated by the drawings and described in the specification as the best mode of presently contemplated for carrying out the present teachings but that the scope of the present disclosure will include any embodiments following within the foregoing description and any appended claims.