Patent Description:
The present disclosure relates to a platform-style toilet seat hinge. <CIT> describes a mounting for a toilet seat. <CIT> describes a toilet seat hinge.

In one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a toilet seat hinge configured to couple a toilet seat to a toilet bowl. The toilet seat hinge including a base configured to be coupled to an upper surface of the toilet bowl, a post defining a pivot axis about which the toilet seat can rotate, the post being slidable onto the base in a direction parallel to the upper surface of the toilet bowl to couple the post to the base, and a cap pivotally coupled to the post. The cap being pivotable about the pivot axis to secure the post on the base.

Despite not forming part of the claimed invention, the present disclosure also shows a platform-style toilet seat hinge configured to couple a toilet seat to a toilet bowl. The platform-style hinge including a unitary base having a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The unitary base defining a first through hole proximate the first end and a second through hole proximate the second end. The unitary base configured to be positioned on an upper surface of the toilet bowl. The platform-style toilet seat hinge further including a first fastener extending through the first through hole to couple the unitary base to the toilet bowl, a second fastener extending through the second through hole to couple the unitary base to the toilet bowl, and a post including an upright portion and a frame extending from the upright portion. The upright portion defining a pivot axis about which the toilet seat can rotate. The frame being slidable onto the unitary base in a direction parallel to the upper surface of the toilet bowl to couple the post to the unitary base.

The frame may include two side members and a cross member extending between the two side members, wherein one of the two side members may be positioned adjacent the first end of the unitary base when the post is coupled to the unitary base, and wherein another of the two side members may be positioned adjacent the second end of the unitary base when the post is coupled to the unitary base.

The two side members and the cross member may define a slot that receives the unitary base.

The post may include a support positioned beneath the upright portion, and wherein the unitary base may contact the support when received in the slot.

The frame may be slidable onto the unitary base by a rail.

The first end of the unitary base may define a first slot and the second end of the unitary base may define a second slot, and wherein the frame may include a first rail that is received in the first slot and a second rail that is received in the second slot.

The unitary base may defines a first fastener recess around the first through hole to receive a head of the first fastener, and a second fastener recess around the second through hole to receive a head of the second fastener.

The platform-style toilet seat may further comprise a cap coupled to the post, wherein the cap is movable between an unlocked position, in which the post is slidable onto and off of the unitary base, and a locked position, in which the cap inhibits the post from sliding relative to the unitary base.

The cap may cover both the first fastener and the second fastener when in the locked position.

In another embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method of coupling a platform-style toilet seat hinge to a toilet bowl. The platform style toilet seat hinge including a unitary base, a post and a cap coupled to the post. The method including positioning the unitary base on an upper surface of the toilet bowl, the unitary base having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the unitary base defining a first through hole proximate the first end and a second through hole proximate the second end, inserting a first fastener through the first through hole to couple the unitary base to the toilet bowl, inserting a second fastener through the second through hole to couple the unitary base to the toilet bowl, and sliding the post onto the unitary base in a direction parallel to the upper surface of the toilet bowl, the post defining a pivot axis about which a toilet seat can pivot. Pivoting the cap relative to the post about the pivot axis secures the post to the unitary base.

It is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. Terms of degree, such as "substantially," "about," "approximately," etc. are understood by those of ordinary skill to refer to reasonable ranges outside of the given value, for example, general tolerances associated with manufacturing, assembly, and use of the described embodiments.

<FIG> and <FIG> illustrate a toilet seat assembly <NUM> that is mountable to a toilet bowl (not shown). The toilet seat assembly <NUM> includes a toilet cover lid <NUM>, a toilet seat <NUM>, and a toilet seat hinge <NUM>. The hinge <NUM> pivotally couples the cover <NUM> and the seat <NUM> to the toilet bowl about a pivot axis A. In the illustrated embodiment, the hinge <NUM> is a platform-style hinge and is selectively fixed to the toilet bowl via two fasteners <NUM> that extend through the toilet bowl. In other embodiments, the hinge <NUM> can include two separate portions each selectively fixed to the toilet bowl by one fastener <NUM> or one mounting post (e.g., such a construction is disclosed within <CIT>. With continued reference to <FIG> and <FIG>, the illustrated toilet seat hinge <NUM> includes a post <NUM>, a quick-disconnect cap <NUM> (e.g., a locking member) pivotally coupled to the post <NUM>, and a base <NUM> selectively coupled to the post <NUM> and the cap <NUM> as discussed in more detail below.

As shown in <FIG>, the illustrated post <NUM> includes an upright portion <NUM> and a frame <NUM> extending from the upright portion <NUM>. The upright portion <NUM> is generally perpendicular to the frame <NUM> (e.g., the upright portion <NUM> extends away from an upper surface of the toilet bowl) and extends in a longitudinal direction that is parallel to the pivot axis A. The upright portion <NUM> includes sleeves <NUM> on each end of the post <NUM>, and each of the sleeves <NUM> includes an opening <NUM>. The two openings <NUM> are concentric to define the pivot axis A. In the illustrated embodiment, slow close dampers <NUM> are received within the sleeves <NUM>. The slow close dampers <NUM> are coupled to the toilet cover lid <NUM> and the toilet seat <NUM> to enable movement of the lid <NUM> and the seat <NUM> relative to the post <NUM>. In other embodiments, the sleeves <NUM> may receive other members (e.g., fixed pins, etc.) to support the lid <NUM> and the seat <NUM> relative to the post <NUM>.

With continued reference to <FIG>, the upright portion <NUM> is substantially hollow to define a cavity <NUM> in which the sleeves <NUM> are arranged. In other embodiments, the upright portion <NUM> can be a substantially solid member. As shown in <FIG>, the post <NUM> further includes supports <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> (e.g., legs) disposed within the cavity <NUM>. The first and second legs <NUM>, <NUM> support the sleeves <NUM> relative to the toilet bowl, and the third leg <NUM> supports a mid-section of the upright portion <NUM> relative to the toilet bowl as discussed in more detail below.

As also shown in <FIG>, the frame <NUM> includes side members <NUM> which project from each end of the upright portion <NUM>, a cross member <NUM> connecting the side members <NUM>, and a central member <NUM> connecting a portion (e.g., a center portion) of the cross member <NUM> to a portion (e.g., a center portion) of the upright portion <NUM>. The side members <NUM> and the cross member <NUM> define an opening of a slot <NUM> that extends from a rear end of the frame <NUM> to the legs <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> of the upright portion <NUM> in a direction perpendicular to the pivot axis A. In addition, each side member <NUM> includes a rail <NUM> extending toward each other into the slot <NUM> (e.g., extending in a direction parallel to the pivot axis A). Also, the cross member <NUM>, the side members <NUM>, the central member <NUM>, and a rear portion of the upright portion <NUM> define two openings <NUM> to provide top access to the slot <NUM>. In other embodiments, the openings <NUM> can be omitted such that the central member <NUM> extends between the side members <NUM> forming a continuous upper wall of the slot <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the illustrated cap <NUM> includes a cover <NUM> and pivot portions <NUM> (e.g., arms) extending from the cover <NUM>. The pivot portions <NUM> are pivotally coupled to the upright portion <NUM> (e.g., via the soft close dampers <NUM>), enabling the cap <NUM> to be pivotally coupled to the post <NUM> about the pivot axis A. Each pivot portion <NUM> includes an opening <NUM> that aligns with an opening <NUM> of the upright portion <NUM>. As best shown in <FIG>, the cover <NUM> includes a grip portion <NUM> (e.g., an actuator) that protrudes from a top surface of the cover <NUM> and is engageable by a user to pivot the cap <NUM> about the pivot axis A. In the illustrated embodiment, the grip portion <NUM> is a lip. In other embodiments, the grip portion <NUM> may include other suitable structures that may be engaged by a user, such as one or more vertical or side projections, one or more recesses, and the like.

With reference to <FIG>, the cover <NUM> further includes a wall <NUM> extending around three sides of the cover <NUM>. In other embodiments, the wall <NUM> can extend from one side of the cover <NUM> (e.g., underneath the grip portion <NUM>). The illustrated wall <NUM> includes a recess <NUM> formed in an interior surface of the wall <NUM>. The cover <NUM> further includes a bottom surface <NUM> including protrusions <NUM> spaced from the interior surface of the wall <NUM> such that a gap <NUM> is positioned between each protrusion <NUM> and the wall <NUM> including the recess <NUM>. Each illustrated protrusion <NUM> has an L-shaped cross-section at an end adjacent the bottom surface <NUM> and a triangular cross-section at a free end of the protrusion <NUM>. In the illustrated embodiment, the cover <NUM> includes two pairs of protrusions <NUM>. In other embodiments, the cover <NUM> can include fewer or more than two pairs of protrusions <NUM> (e.g., each pair can form a single protrusion, a single protrusion can extend in a direction parallel to the pivot axis A, etc.).

As shown in <FIG>, the base <NUM> includes a top side <NUM> and a bottom side <NUM> opposite the top side <NUM>. The top side <NUM> and the bottom side <NUM> each terminate at a first end <NUM> and a second end <NUM> opposite the first end <NUM>. A rear edge <NUM> extends between the top side <NUM> and the bottom side <NUM> and between the first end <NUM> and the second end <NUM>. In the illustrated embodiment, the base <NUM> is a unitary base that presents itself as one piece. For example, the base <NUM> may be made of a single piece of plastic. Alternatively, the base <NUM> may be made of multiple pieces that are permanently secured together by welding, gluing, fastening, molding, and the like. The bottom side <NUM> of the base <NUM> abuts the toilet bowl when the base <NUM> is affixed to the toilet bowl by the fasteners <NUM>. In particular, two recesses <NUM> are formed on the top side <NUM> of the base <NUM> adjacent the first end <NUM> and the second end <NUM>, respectively. The base <NUM> also includes elongated through holes <NUM>, each extending through one of the recesses <NUM>. Each through hole <NUM> is sized to receive a shaft and a resilient bushing of a fastener <NUM>, and each recess <NUM> is sized to receive a head of a fastener <NUM>. Moreover, the recesses <NUM> include a bottom contoured surface (e.g., jagged surface) that engages with a lower contoured surface (e.g., jagged surface) of the heads of the fasteners <NUM> to hold a position of the fasteners <NUM> within the elongated through holes <NUM>. With reference to <FIG>, the bottom side <NUM> includes two slots <NUM> with one of the slots <NUM> adjacent the first end <NUM> and another one of the slots <NUM> adjacent the second end <NUM>. The base <NUM> further includes a projection <NUM> extending from the rear edge <NUM>.

To assemble the toilet seat assembly <NUM>, the post <NUM>, the cap <NUM>, the toilet seat <NUM>, and the toilet lid <NUM> are aligned along the pivot axis A to be coupled together by the slow close dampers <NUM>. In particular, the openings <NUM> of the cap <NUM> are aligned with the openings <NUM> of the post <NUM>. The toilet cover lid <NUM> and the toilet seat <NUM> are then aligned with the openings <NUM>, <NUM>. The slow close dampers <NUM> are inserted into the sleeves <NUM> of the post <NUM> through pivot rings of the toilet seat <NUM>, pivot rings of the toilet lid <NUM>, and the pivot portions <NUM> of the cap <NUM>. inserts <NUM> (<FIG> and <FIG>) are then inserted into sides of the lid <NUM> to engage the pivot rings of the lid <NUM> and the pivot rings of the seat <NUM>. The inserts <NUM> fix the lid <NUM> and the seat <NUM> to outboard portions of the slow close dampers <NUM>, whereas inboard portions of the slow close dampers <NUM> are fixed within the sleeves <NUM>. Accordingly, the slow close dampers <NUM> control movement of the lid <NUM> and/or the seat <NUM> relative to the post <NUM> about the pivot axis A. In addition, the cap <NUM> is freely pivotable about the pivot axis A.

<FIG> illustrate assembly of the toilet seat assembly <NUM> to the toilet bowl. Although the disclosure of assembling the toilet seat assembly <NUM> to the toilet bowl is discussed in specific steps below, not all of the steps need to be performed. In addition, the disclosed steps do not need to be performed in the disclosed order. Assembly of the toilet seat assembly <NUM> to the toilet bowl can also include additional or alternative steps.

As shown in <FIG>, in an uninstalled position P1 of the toilet seat assembly <NUM>, the lid <NUM>, the seat <NUM>, the cap <NUM>, and the post <NUM> are separated from the base <NUM>, and the base <NUM> is fixed to the toilet bowl by the fasteners <NUM>. In particular, the fasteners <NUM> are inserted into the through holes <NUM> (<FIG>) so that fastening nuts are tightened onto the fasteners <NUM> to clamp the base <NUM> to the toilet bowl. Before the base <NUM> is fixed onto the toilet bowl, the base <NUM> can be adjusted relative to the toilet bowl as the recesses <NUM> provide clearance for the heads of the fasteners <NUM> to move within the recesses <NUM> (e.g., to adjust the base <NUM> in a forward direction or a rearward direction). Additionally, the heads of the fasteners <NUM> rest within the recesses <NUM> to be substantially flush with the top side <NUM> of the base <NUM>. The illustrated heads of the fasteners <NUM> may not include any type of tightening mechanism (e.g., a slot that receives a screwdriver, a hexagonal protrusion to be engaged by a drive socket, etc.) such that the fastening nuts threaded onto the fasteners <NUM> are the tightening mechanisms to fix the base <NUM> to the toilet bowl.

The assembly of the lid <NUM>, the seat <NUM>, the post <NUM>, and the cap <NUM> is then slid onto the base <NUM>. In particular, the post <NUM> moves in a first direction D1 (parallel to the upper surface of the toilet bowl that supports the base <NUM>) over the base <NUM> such that the slot <NUM> of the post <NUM> receives the base <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, in an installed and unlocked position P2, the rails <NUM> of the post <NUM> and the slots <NUM> of the base <NUM> are in engagement to inhibit the post <NUM> from moving upwardly away from the upper surface of the toilet bowl. The post <NUM> is slid onto the base <NUM> until the base <NUM> contacts the legs <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> (e.g., engagement between the legs <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and the base <NUM> limits an insertion depth of the base <NUM> within the slot <NUM>). In some embodiments, the base <NUM> and the post <NUM> can include detent members to releasably hold the post <NUM> on the base <NUM> as shown in <FIG>. In the installed and unlocked position P2, the cap <NUM> is in an unlocked position U that provides access to the fasteners <NUM> through the openings <NUM> of the post <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, in an installed and locked position P3, the cap <NUM> is pivoted down about the pivot axis A toward the base <NUM> into a locked position L to secure the assembly of the toilet lid <NUM>, the toilet seat <NUM>, the cap <NUM>, and the post <NUM> onto the base <NUM>. In the locked position L, the wall <NUM> of the cap <NUM> covers the slot <NUM> of the post <NUM> such that the post <NUM> is inhibited from moving in a second direction D2 opposite the first direction D1 to separate from the base <NUM>. The fasteners <NUM> are additionally covered by the cap <NUM> and are inaccessible in the locked position L of the cap <NUM>. Also in the locked position L, the projection <NUM> of the base <NUM> is received within the recess <NUM> of the cap <NUM> to releasably hold the cap <NUM> in the locked position L. The projection <NUM> and the recess <NUM> together form a force-fit connection between the base <NUM> and the cap <NUM>. The projection <NUM> engages the recess <NUM> so that a sufficient force on the cap <NUM> is required to disengage the cap <NUM> from the base <NUM> and move the cap <NUM> into the unlocked position U. The sufficient force may be obtained by a user pushing up on the grip portion <NUM> of the cap <NUM>. In other embodiments, the cap <NUM> may include the projection <NUM>, and the base <NUM> may include the recess <NUM>. In further embodiments, other types of mechanisms can releasably hold the cap <NUM> to the base <NUM>, such as a magnet or a friction fit-type interface. Additionally, in the installed and locked position P3, the cross member <NUM> of the post <NUM> is received within the gap <NUM> of the cap <NUM>. In some embodiments, the cross member <NUM> engages the protrusions <NUM> and the wall <NUM> to assist the engagement between the projection <NUM> and the recess <NUM> in holding the cap <NUM> in the locked position L.

As discussed above, the legs <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> of the post <NUM> contact the toilet bowl to support the hinge <NUM> on the toilet bowl. Accordingly, during use of the toilet seat assembly <NUM>, a user sits on the toilet seat <NUM> when in the in-use position and at least the legs <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> distribute the weight of the user through the post <NUM> and to the toilet bowl. The illustrated slow close dampers <NUM> inhibit the lid <NUM> and/or the seat <NUM> from slamming down onto the toilet bowl from a raised position.

In order to remove the toilet lid <NUM> and toilet seat <NUM> from the toilet bowl (e.g., to clean the toilet bowl), the user may provide the sufficient force on the grip portion <NUM> of the cap <NUM> to move the cap <NUM> into the unlocked position U (<FIG>). Thereafter, the assembly of the lid <NUM>, the seat <NUM>, the post <NUM>, and the cap <NUM> can slide off the base <NUM> in the second direction D2 to remove the lid <NUM> and the seat <NUM> from the toilet bowl.

Various features of the invention are set forth in the following claims.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiments but to the appended claims.

Claim 1:
A toilet seat hinge (<NUM>) configured to couple a toilet seat (<NUM>) to a toilet bowl, the toilet seat hinge (<NUM>) comprising:
a base (<NUM>) configured to be coupled to an upper surface of the toilet bowl;
a post (<NUM>) defining a pivot axis (A) about which the toilet seat (<NUM>) can rotate, the post (<NUM>) being slidable onto the base (<NUM>) in a direction parallel to the upper surface of the toilet bowl to couple the post (<NUM>) to the base (<NUM>); and characterised by
a cap (<NUM>) pivotally coupled to the post (<NUM>), the cap (<NUM>) being pivotable about the pivot axis (A) to secure the post (<NUM>) on the base (<NUM>).