Patent Publication Number: US-2017362870-A1

Title: Automatic stay open upright toilet seat spring hinge structure

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This present invention relates to a structure improvement to a door spring hinge and now particularly for use as an Automatic stay open upright toilet seat spring hinge with the new added improvements. 
     This kind of spring hinge utilizes the torque spring to store the tensile strength in order to accomplish the function of automatically keeping a toilet seat raised open in an upright position at all times 
     The spring hinge when mounted on any toilet bowl and toilet seat. Can make toilet seat automatically spring back up when push down in the opposite direction of the spring tension it will automatically spring back open in the upright position. 
     With the aforementioned improvement, the Automatic stay open upright toilet seat spring hinge will smoothly raise the toilet seat automatically these improved portions are enough to ensure the structural stability enhance durability, and increase actual functions 
     The tension adjustment stand can be made of metal or plastic 
     the previous single spring hinge which a patent had already been granted by the U.S. PTO (Publication Number U.S. Pat. No. 4,751,765 A (Application Filed Number U.S. Ser. No. 06/938,604) which mainly utilizes the tension adjustment stand, made of metal or plastic composite material, to preserve the original intended functions,
 
the spring hinge which includes a first member, a second member, a spring, a spring seat, a tensile adjustment seat, a tensile adjustment pin, a shaft, and two holding heads.
 
     The holding heads each include a hollow hat and a set of slots radially extending to form a set of claws fixed inside the hollow hat, the central portion of the slots being inwardly concave and an opening whose diameter is slightly smaller than the diameter of the shaft. 
     Thus, the shaft penetrating through the opening is pressed and secured by the claws so as to prevent any withdrawal of the shaft from the opening. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary object of the present invention is to provide an Automatic stay upright open toilet seat spring hinge structure which is easier to manufacture and is safer because the connection between its holding heads and shaft is simplified and firmly secured together. 
     In accordance with the present invention, it can utilize reinforced plastic or metal the spring hinge includes a first member, a second member, a spring, a spring seat, a tensile adjustment seat, a tensile adjustment pin, a shaft and two holding heads, characterized in that the holding head underneath it includes a hollow hat, the central portion of the retaining member being inwardly concave and providing a set of radial slots extending to form a set of claws and an opening whose diameter is slightly smaller than the diameter of the shaft, and thus, the shaft penetrating through the opening is pressed and secured by the claws to prevent any withdrawal of the shaft. 
     Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. 
     The present invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which form an integral part of this application and in which: 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a spring hinge according to the art work; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of a spring hinge according to the preferred embodiment of this invention; 
         FIG. 3 , is a cross sectional view of the spring hinge shown in  FIG. 2 ; and 
         FIG. 4 , is a plane view of a holding head of the spring hinge shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , to The previous invention by adding and extending first member flanges protruding plates ( 10 ) by 4 to 4½ inches long and is provided with 9 securing holes ( 12 ) for mounting the hinge on a toilet seat, The second member ( 20 ) which has 4 Securing holes ( 22 ) are provided on the plate which is then attached to a lip ( 1 ) the lip which has 4 Securing holes ( 2 ) and is attached on a rectangular plate ( 3 ) which has 6 Securing holes ( 4 )  3  on each side for adjustment fitting for mounting on the toilet bowl. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , generally, the spring hinge includes a first member  10 , a second member  20 , a spring  30 , a spring seat  40 , a spring tensile adjustment seat  50 , a tensile adjustment pin  60 , shaft  70  and two holding heads  80 ,  81 . 
     One side of the first member ( 10 ) is 4 to 4½ inches long As shown in  FIG. 1 , and is provided with 9 securing holes ( 12 ) is curved to form a tubular portion ( 11 ) while The second member ( 20 ) flat plate portion which has 4 Securing holes ( 22 ) is provided which is then attached to a rectangular plate with a lip ( 1 ) the lip which has 4 Securing holes ( 2 ) The spring seat  40  has a central hole  41  providing for the penetration of shaft  70 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , on the edge of the hole  41  a gap  42  is provided for embedding one end  31  of spring  30  in position within the spring seat  40 . Besides, this spring seat  40  is secured at the bottom of 
     The tubular portion  11  of the first member by screwing or riveting As shown in  FIG. 3  the gap  42  of spring seat  40  is embedded and blocked against a concave part  13  As shown in  FIG. 3 , provided at the bottom end of the tubular portion  11  As shown in  FIG. 1 , The bottom end  31  of spring  30  can be connected to the first member  10  by means of the spring seat  40  indirectly. 
     The bottom of the tensile adjustment seat  50  as shown in  FIG. 1  can be inserted into the top end of the tubular portion  11  of the first member  10  and is provided with an aperture  52  for the insertion of the top end  32  of spring  30  therein. The second member  20  includes a plate portion  21  and two connecting pieces  23 ,  24  located at the top and bottom ends of one side respectively. Securing holes  22  are provided on the plate portion  21  for mounting the member  20  to a lip ( 1 ) the lip which has 4 Securing holes ( 2 ) is attached on a rectangular plate ( 3 ) which has 6 Securing holes ( 4 )  3  on each side for adjustment fitting for mounting on the toilet bowl, and each connecting piece  23 ,  24  includes a hole  25 ,  26  formed therein, respectively. 
     The two connecting pieces  23  and  24  are pressed into the spring seat  40  and tensile adjustment seat  50  respectively and hold the first member  10  and second member  20  together to form a hinge by means of the penetration of the shaft  70  between them. Besides, a spring tension can be maintained between the first member  10  and second member  20  to adjust the tensions of the spring by inserting the tensile tension adjustment rod on one of the tension adjustment holes  53  pushed in one direction to get the right tension needed hold and maintain till the desired tension is achieved then insert tension adjustment dowel pin  60  into one of the suitable adjustment holes  53  located on the tensile adjustment seat  50  To hold at the desired tension. 
     It should be noted that the other side of the first member  10  can also be curved to form another tubular portion for connecting with a third member which is the same as the second member  20  in order to provide a double spring hinge. 
     The holding heads of known spring hinges, also called cap nuts such as shown in  FIG. 1 , are made of metal or plastic with or without internal thread which can be screwed on the external thread ends of the shaft  70  or if the holding heads cap nuts have internal push radial slots claw which can be push in at the ends of the shaft  70  Connecting and holding heads cap nuts  80 ,  81  and shaft  70  from falling off easily and frequently. Both providing and connecting the holding heads and penetrated shaft together. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, there is shown the spring hinge according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that the first member  10 , second member  20 , spring  30 , spring seat  40 , tensile adjustment seat  50  and tensile adjustment pin  60  are similar to that of the known spring hinge shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     According to the present invention, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the shaft  70  is not threaded for engagement with the holding heads  91  and  92  including a hollow hat  911 ,  921  and a retaining member  912 ,  922 . The edge of the retaining member is provided with veins, so that it can be firmly inserted and fixed inside the hollow hat. Firstly, the retaining member is put inside the hollow hat, and then the veins  913  and  923  as shown in  FIG. 3 , are pushed inwardly to fix it into position. Referring now to shaft retaining member  922 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , its central portion includes a set of slots  924  radially extending to form a set of claws  925  extending inwardly and an opening  926  located at the tip portion of each claw. The diameter of the opening  926  is slightly smaller than the diameter of shaft  70 , for the insertion of the shaft  70 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , it should be noted that since the diameter of opening  926  is smaller than the diameter of shaft  70 , the shaft when penetrating through the opening  926  will be pressed and secured by the claws to prevent any withdrawal of the shaft from the opening. 
     When the inserted shaft  70  reaches the hollow hat  921 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , its flat end will press against the bottom of the hollow hat so that the shaft can be connected firmly and rigidly together with the entire holding head  92 . Of course, the hollow hat and retaining member can be in the form of other shapes besides a circle, such as a hexagon or the like. It should be understood that, according to the present invention, the shaft and holding head do not require any external or internal threads. During assembly, a pushing operation is performed instead of rotating the holding head. Accordingly, the manufacturing speed can be increased approximately three times and is greatly simplified. Moreover, the hinge provides for a safer operation and prevents the dropping out of the holding head. 
     While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiment but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangement included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims which scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures. Based on afore discussed improvement the spring hinge of the present invention ensures smoothly automatic closing and opening without causing any noise or deformation. Note that the specification relating to the above embodiment should be construed as exemplary rather than as limitative of the present invention, with many variations and modifications being readily attainable by a person of average skill in the art without departing from the spirit or scope thereof, as defined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.