Patent Description:
A toilet seat is typically fixed to a toilet pan by way of two spaced hinges fixed to spaced positions on or adjacent to the rear edge of the seat. One part of each hinge is secured to the seat and the other part of each hinge is secured to the pan. That part of the hinge attached to the pan is typically fixed by passing a threaded rod or shaft through a vertical hole extending downwards from the top face of the pan, and then applying a locking nut to that part of the rod or shaft that projects from the opposite end of the hole.

A problem that arises from this arrangement is that the holes in the pan are invariably larger in diameter than the diameters of the fixing rods or shafts and, over time and while being subjected to working loads, the rods displace relative to the axes of the holes in the pan, the locking nuts work loose and the toilet seat thus moves with respect to the pan.

Various methods have been adopted, in the past, to reduce the problem. One common method involves positioning rubber or plastics washers between the hinges and the pan but this solution has limited effectiveness for a number of reasons. Firstly the materials from which the washers are formed deteriorate with time. Further, they deteriorate with exposure to a number of toilet cleaning chemicals. Thirdly toilet pans are generally formed from vitreous enamel which has a very smooth, low friction surface. As a result, once tension on the fixing rods lessens, the washers can slide freely over the surface of the pan.

Document <CIT> discloses a toilet seat with a positioning function according to the preamble of claim <NUM>.

It is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus which will go at least some way in addressing the drawbacks mentioned above; or which will at least provide a novel and useful alternative.

Accordingly, the invention provides a hinge for mounting a toilet seat on a toilet pan as defined in claim <NUM>.

Preferably said hinge base comprises a fixing part which includes said contact surface; and a cover engageable over said fixing part.

Preferably said fixing part further includes an aperture through which, in use, said fixing rod may pass.

According to the invention said contact surface has engaged therewith, a bonding component adhesivised on both sides thereof; Preferably said bonding component is formed from very high bond (VHB) tape.

According to the invention said spacing facility is formed integrally with said contact surface and is configured to fracture upon displacement of said hinge base into contact with said pan.

Preferably said contact surface has apertures to receive said spacing facility as said hinge is displaced into contact with said pan.

Preferably said hinge further includes a pillar mounted to said hinge base for pivotal engagement with a toilet seat; and a fixing member to fix said pillar to said hinge base; said hinge being characterised in that an intermediate mount is provided, said fixing member fixing said pillar to said intermediate mount and said intermediate mount being rotatably located in said hinge base.

Preferably said hinge base includes a fixing part engageable with a toilet pan, and a cover engageable over said fixing part, said pillar being mounted on said cover by way of said intermediate mount.

Many variations in the way the invention may be performed as long as they fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Working embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:.

Referring to <FIG>, a first embodiment of toilet seat hinge according to the invention includes a hinge base <NUM> comprising a fixing part <NUM> and a cover <NUM>, a threaded fixing bolt <NUM>, and a pillar <NUM>. The fixing part <NUM> is fixed to the upper surface of a toilet pan <NUM> by a bonding component adhesivised on both sides thereof, preferably a very high bond (VHB) double sided tape <NUM>, which adheres on one side to a contact surface <NUM> of the fixing part <NUM>, and on the other side to the toilet pan <NUM>. A protective paper covering 16a is provided to cover the VHB tape on that surface that is to bond to the pan, prior to installation of the hinge.

At installation with the fixing part <NUM> secured in position, the cover <NUM> is located over the fixing part and is secured in position by the threaded fixing bolt <NUM>. In the conventional manner, the bolt <NUM> is engaged at one end in the cover <NUM>, is passed through locating holes (not shown) in the pan <NUM>, and is secured on the underside of the pan using a nut <NUM> and washer <NUM>. Tightening of the nut <NUM> clamps the contact surface <NUM>, with attached VHB tape <NUM>, against the toilet pan and thus ensures that a very secure connection is achieved between the hinge and the pan.

In the embodiment shown in <FIG>, the hinge is what is referred to in the trade as a bottom-fixing hinge. In the embodiment shown in <FIG> & <FIG>, the hinge is a top-fixing hinge. The invention described herein is applicable to both forms of hinge.

A characterising feature of the invention is that the hinge can be moved freely and located in the desired position relative to the pan, and then secured in position on the pan, without the need for any trial assembly. To this end a spacing facility is provided that is configured to space the contact surface <NUM>, and the VHB tape (with cover paper 16a removed therefrom) from the pan while the hinge base is positioned in the correct location. When in the correct location, the hinge base is displaced toward the pan, and the spacing facility is displaced or deformed until the VHB tape comes into contact with the pan. The displacing force applied to the hinge base may be applied manually and/or may be effected by tightening the nut <NUM>.

Referring to the embodiment shown in <FIG>, the spacing facility is formed as an integral part of the hinge base and projects from the periphery of the contact surface <NUM>. As can be seen most clearly in <FIG>, three projections <NUM> are spaced around the periphery of the contact surface <NUM> and project outwardly from the plane of the surface. The projections are preferably equi-spaced around the periphery to provide the necessary support function, and each has a vee-shaped central formation <NUM> to assist deformation and/or fracturing. Underlying each of the projections is a recess <NUM>.

As can be seen in <FIG>, when the hinge base is first located against the toilet pan <NUM>, and with the protective covering 16a removed, the projections <NUM> maintain the under-surface of the VHB tape clear of the pan. As can be seen in <FIG>, with only the projections <NUM> contacting the pan, the fixing part <NUM> may be displaced over the pan surface until the final fixing position is established. Thereafter, as shown in <FIG>, a downward displacing force is applied to the fixing part <NUM> which causes the projections to distort and possibly to fracture. The distorted or fractured remnants of the protections are then received in the recesses <NUM>. It will be appreciated that, as the projections distort or fracture, the VHB tape contacts the pan and bonds the fixing part <NUM> to the pan <NUM>.

Referring now to <FIG> and <FIG>, parts of a second unclaimed embodiment of hinge are shown, this embodiment including a hinge base <NUM>, a hinge connector <NUM> projecting upwardly from the base, a fixing bolt <NUM>, and a spacer <NUM>. A disc <NUM> of VHB tape is fixed to the underside of the base <NUM> and the underside of this disc is maintained out of contact with the surface of the toilet pan, while the base is positioned in the desired location relative to the pan.

In this particular embodiment the spacer comprises a ring having an inner annular surface <NUM> that engages a downward spigot <NUM> forming part of the base <NUM>. The spigot <NUM> may be a firm frictional fit within the spacer <NUM> or the surfaces <NUM> and <NUM> may be formed with complimentary projection and socket. Whatever the case, the interengagement of base and spacer is configured to ensure the VHB tape is held clear of the pan during positioning of the base <NUM> but, once the base is correctly positioned, the application of manual pressure, or pressure applied by tightening the fixing bolt <NUM>, will overcome any resistance between the base <NUM> and the spacer <NUM>, causing the spigot <NUM> to slide within the spacer until the VHB tape contacts and bonds to the surface of the pan. <FIG> shows the base <NUM> in the raised position relative to the pan <NUM> while <FIG> shows the base <NUM> displaced so that the VHB tape is bonded to the pan.

Referring now to <FIG>, parts of a third embodiment that is not claimed are shown comprising a hinge base <NUM> for connection to a surface <NUM> of a toilet pan using a disc <NUM> of VHB tape. During positioning of the base <NUM> relative to the pan <NUM> the base is maintained clear of the pan by a spacer <NUM> which comprises a base plate <NUM> having a number of spikes <NUM> projecting downwardly therefrom. The base <NUM> and VHB tape <NUM> are formed with holes <NUM> in positions that correspond to the positions of spikes <NUM> and thus the spikes can be engaged through the holes <NUM> to engage the surface <NUM> of the pan. It will be seen that the length of the spikes <NUM> is greater than the thickness of the base <NUM> and thus with the spacer <NUM> fully engaged with the in the desired location, it may be displaced downwardly whereupon the spikes <NUM> dis-engage from holes <NUM> and the VHB disc can engage and bond to the surface <NUM> as shown in <FIG>. The spacer <NUM> can then be removed completely.

Any suitable means can be provided to maintain the base <NUM> in the upward position shown in <FIG>, during positioning of the base <NUM>. For example the spikes <NUM> and holes <NUM> may be configured to provide friction between the two when in the position shown in <FIG>. Other means such as engaging projections and recesses could be used and a further option would be to use a relatively low bond double-sided adhesive tape between the under side of plate <NUM> and the upper side of the base <NUM>.

The embodiments described herein conveniently incorporate an adhesive in the form of a VHB tape, falling under the invention.

Referring back to <FIG>, in another aspect the invention provides a novel and useful means of mounting the hinge pillar <NUM>, to the hinge base and, in particular, to the cover <NUM>.

When installing toilet seat hinges, the positions of hinge fixings <NUM>, covers <NUM> and pillars <NUM> must be manipulated to ensure that the seat is correctly located along fore and aft, and lateral, axes. Generally, changing the position of one component affects the positions of the others and so a trial installation is undertaken in which the components are loosely interconnected, the correct positions are established and noted, and the components then disassembled, tightened and fixed back in the established positions. The present invention proposes an apparatus which eliminate the need for pre-assembly and allow correct positioning of components, and secure fixing, from the outset.

In the foregoing we have described an unclaimed method for correct positioning and fixing of the hinge base relative to the pan. Further adjustment is required between the pillar <NUM> and the cover <NUM>. Previously, with the pillar directly attached to cover <NUM> using a fixing screw <NUM> any rotation of the pillar relative to the cover, to establish correct positioning, would loosen the fixing screw <NUM>. Thus, once the correct positions had been established, the cover <NUM> would have to be removed and the screw <NUM> retightened as part of final assembly. This problem is addressed in a further aspect of the invention by mounting pillar <NUM> on an intermediate mount <NUM> using fixing screw <NUM>. The intermediate mount <NUM> is configured to be a firm rotating fit within the cover <NUM> and thus the pivotal position of the pillar <NUM> relative to the cover can be established without any loosening of the connection between the pillar and the cover.

Claim 1:
A hinge for mounting a toilet seat on a toilet pan, said hinge including a hinge base (<NUM>) having a contact surface (<NUM>) engageable with said pan (<NUM>), wherein said contact surface has engaged therewith a bonding component (<NUM>) adhesivised on both sides thereof for fixing said contact surface (<NUM>) to said pan, said hinge including a spacing facility (<NUM>) configured to maintain a space between said bonding component (<NUM>) and said pan, said spacing facility (<NUM>) being deformable by the application of a force to said hinge base (<NUM>) against said pan to allow the bonding component to contact, and adhere said hinge to said pan, characterised in that said spacing facility (<NUM>) is formed integrally with said contact surface (<NUM>) and is configured to fracture upon displacement of said hinge base into contact with said pan and the hinge is further including a fixing rod (<NUM>) locatable through a hole in said pan.