Hydraulic atuator device for raising and lowering a seat and lid

• US 8,566,970 B2
• Filed: 09/03/2010
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Carlo Gomez Espana Collignon
• Original Assignee: Carlo Gomez Espana Collignon
• Inventors: Collignon, Carlo Gomez Espana
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tuan N
• Application Number:
  US13/394,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20130160196A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• Field of Search: 42461-2463, 466/7
• US Class Current: 4/246.2
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 13/10 Devices for raising and lowering, e.g. tilting or lifting mechanismsthereby controlling flushing valves E03D5/04; Collapsible or rotating seats or covers

Abstract

Improvements to a hydraulic drive device for raising and lowering the lid and seat of toilettes, characterized by a left and right modules comprising a casing with a central transverse shaft whose ends protrude, each said casing is divided into three recesses; the left shaft end is attached to the lid and the right shaft end to the seat, the opposite end of each shaft being fixed to a drive plate of three flaps, one of each flap housed in each recess of the casing, with each recess also housing a cylindrical diaphragm, which when filled with water press simultaneously against the flaps to cause a partial rotation of the shafts, to raise or lower the lid and seat together or separately by rotary displacement; said diaphragms are fed through a check valve that allows the passage of feed water to fill the diaphragms and to discharge the water from the diaphragms through a duct into the toilet tank when the toilet flush button is actuated; the left and right floor actuation valves are connected to a general water distributor element connected to the water supply duct.

Claims

1. A hydraulic drive device for raising and lowering the covering lid and seat of a toilet, comprising a left module and a right module, said modules attached together, where each said module has the same configuration, said module configuration characterized by:

a casing;

a central transverse shaft contained within said casing, and the end of which protrudes from said case, and wherein each said casing is internally divided into three semicircular cavities;

said left shaft end is attached to the toilet lid and the right shaft end attached to the toilet seat, the opposite end being fixed to a drive plate for three flaps, with one of each said flap being housed in one of each said recess of said casing;

in each said recess is also housed a cylindrical diaphragm adjoining each of said flap,

whereby when said diaphragms are filled with water, said diaphragms press said flaps simultaneously, thereby causing a partial rotation of said shaft, the left said shaft being coupled to the lid and the right said shaft being coupled to the seat lift the lid and seat together or separately,

or said lid and seat together or separately are folded down when said water is discharged from said diaphragms through a check valve;

said diaphragms being connected and fed through a check valve adapted firstly to allow the supply water to fill the diaphragms when a respective floor valve located on the floor to the left or right side of the toilet is actuated by hand or foot, and each said check valve adapted secondly to discharge water and empty said diaphragms through a duct into the tank of the toilet when the toilet flush button is actuated for discharge thereof, said left and right valves being connected to a general water supply distributor and said supply distributor being connected to the water supply duct of the supply network that feeds the toilet tank.

2. The hydraulic drive device for raising and lowering the covering lid and seat of a toilet according to claim 1, wherein each of said diaphragms is connected to an output of a distributor element which is internally housed in a lid of each casing and having the same geometry as said casing and which is fixedly coupled to it;

said distributor element comprising a back inlet through which water is fed and by means of which is connected to the corresponding side output of said check valve.

3. The hydraulic drive device for raising and lowering the covering lid and seat of a toilet, according to claim 1, wherein said check valve comprises two left and two right lower inputs and a lower central outlet, said left and right lower inputs are connected to the water supply ducts from said main distributor and said lower central outlet duct is connected a water discharging and emptying duct from said diaphragms, said duct extending to the upper part and discharging into the toilet water tank and at its end is connected to a valve having pressure sensor device, said pressure sensor device housed inside the tank, and which allows the water discharge from said diaphragms when said check valve is actuated in response to a pressure differential caused by the drop of the water level when the toilet flushing button is actuated.

4. The hydraulic drive device for raising and lowering the covering lid and seat of a toilet, according to claim 1, further comprising a hollow cylindrical bolt connected to each said left and said right module, each said bolt allowing the attachment of the device to the toilet cabinet;

said bolts each connected to a water supply duct from a main water distributor disposed behind the toilet through which water is fed and connected in turn to said corresponding lower input of said check valve.

5. The hydraulic drive device for raising and lowering the covering lid and seat of a toilet, according to claim 1, wherein said main distributor is connected to a lower end of said water supply duct provided in the back of the bowl and said water supply duct further connected to the top of the toilet tank where said supply duct is fed the water that fills the tank.

6. The hydraulic drive device for raising and lowering the covering lid and seat of a toilet, according to claim 4, wherein said hollow cylindrical bolts mechanically connected to each said left and said right module, and which are attached to the lid and the seat on the toilet cabinet, each said bolt defined by an “

L”

shape that comprises a vertical arm with end shank and a horizontal arm with end shank, and said end shank of said vertical arm of each of said bolts is fixed to the corresponding said left and right water supply duct each of which are connected at their opposite end to said main water distributor disposed behind the toilet and through which water is fed, and the end shank of the horizontal arm is connected to the corresponding portion of duct that is connected to the corresponding lower inlet of said check valve.

7. The hydraulic drive device for raising and lowering the covering lid and seat of a toilet, according to the claim 2, wherein said left module of said device, comprises a first left supply duct connected to said distributor element and to said left side floor valve disposed on the floor at the left side of the toilet;

a second left distribution duct connected from said left side floor valve to said distributor element and said left supply duct is connected from said distributor element to said end shank of said vertical arm of said hollow cylindrical bolt for feeding water to said left module.

8. The hydraulic drive device for raising and lowering the covering lid and seat of a toilet, according to the claim 2, wherein said right module of said device, comprises a first right supply duct connected to said distributor element and to said right side floor valve disposed on the floor at the right side of the toilet;

a second right distribution duct connected from said right side floor valve to said distributor element and said right supply duct is connected from said distributor element to said end shank of said vertical arm of said hollow cylindrical bolt for feeding water to said right module.

9. The hydraulic drive device for raising and lowering the covering lid and seat of a toilet, according to the claim 1, wherein said left and right modules are attached together through a lower attaching plate and above which said check valve is provided, and further comprising an arched cap covering said check valve.

10. The hydraulic drive device for raising and lowering the covering lid and seat of a toilet, according to claim 9, wherein a user can lift exclusively the lid by pressing said left floor valve by foot or hand such that water will be allowed to flow from said main supply duct through said first left supply duct and continuing through said second left duct into said distributor element, to further pass through said supply duct connected to said left side hollow cylindrical bolt and then to said check valve, said check valve allowing water to pass into said left distributor element that supplies said three diaphragms, which are responsively inflated with water to press said plate flaps housed in said recesses of said outer casing, which in turn lifts the lid.

11. The hydraulic drive device for raising and lowering the covering lid and seat of a toilet, according to claim 10, where a user can lift both the lid and the seat simultaneously by pressing said right floor valve with the foot or hand to allow water to flow from said main supply duct through said first right supply duct connected to said main distribution element and continuing to the second right duct of the main distributor element and to pass through said supply duct connected to said hollow cylindrical bolt of said right module and then to said check valve that lets said water pass toward said left and right distributor elements, housed respectively in said left and right casing and thereby feeding water to said three diaphragms in both said module, which are responsively inflated with water such that they press said plate flaps housed in said recesses of said left and right casings which, being coupled respectively to said left and right shafts, and shafts attached to the lid and the seat, respectively, whereby said shafts turn and the lid and the seat are lifted.

12. The hydraulic drive device for raising and lowering the covering lid and seat of a toilet, according to claim 2, wherein said check valve comprises two left and two right lower inputs and a lower central outlet, said left and right lower inputs are connected to the water supply ducts from said main distributor and said lower central outlet duct is connected a water discharging and emptying duct from said diaphragms, said duct extending to the upper part and discharging into the toilet water tank and at its end is connected to a valve having pressure sensor device, said pressure sensor device housed inside the tank, and which allows the water discharge from said diaphragms when said check valve is actuated in response to a pressure differential caused by the drop of the water level when the toilet flushing button is actuated.

13. The hydraulic drive device for raising and lowering the covering lid and seat of a toilet, according to claim 3, further comprising a hollow cylindrical bolt connected to each said left and said right module, each said bolt allowing the attachment of the device to the toilet cabinet;

said bolts each connected to a water supply duct from a main water distributor disposed behind the toilet through which water is fed and connected in turn to said corresponding lower input of said check valve.

14. The hydraulic drive device for raising and lowering the covering lid and seat of a toilet, according to claim 3, wherein said main distributor is connected to a lower end of said water supply duct provided in the back of the bowl and said water supply duct further connected to the top of the toilet tank where said supply duct is fed the water that fills the tank.

15. The hydraulic drive device for raising and lowering the covering lid and seat of a toilet, according to claim 13, wherein said hollow cylindrical bolts mechanically connected to each said left and said right module, and which are attached to the lid and the seat on the toilet cabinet, each said bolt defined by an “

L”

shape that comprises a vertical arm with end shank and a horizontal arm with end shank, and said end shank of said vertical arm of each of said bolts is fixed to the corresponding said left and right water supply duct each of which are connected at their opposite end to said main water distributor disposed behind the toilet and through which water is fed, and the end shank of the horizontal arm is connected to the corresponding portion of duct that is connected to the corresponding lower inlet of said check valve.

16. The hydraulic drive device for raising and lowering the covering lid and seat of a toilet, according to the claim 3, wherein said left and right modules are attached together through a lower attaching plate and above which said check valve is provided, and further comprising an arched cap covering said check valve.

17. The hydraulic drive device for raising and lowering the covering lid and seat of a toilet, according to claim 16, wherein a user can lift only the lid by pressing said left floor valve by foot or hand such that water will be allowed to flow from said main supply duct through said first left supply duct and continuing through said second left duct into said distributor element, to further pass through said supply duct connected to said left side hollow cylindrical bolt and then to said check valve, said check valve allowing water to pass into said left distributor element that supplies said three diaphragms, which are responsively inflated with water to press said plate flaps housed in said recesses of said outer casing, which in turn lifts the lid.

18. The hydraulic drive device for raising and lowering the covering lid and seat of a toilet, according to claim 17, where a user can lift both the lid and the seat simultaneously by pressing said right floor valve with the foot or hand to allow water to flow from said main supply duct through said first right supply duct connected to said main distribution element and continuing to the second right duct of the main distributor element and to pass through said supply duct connected to said hollow cylindrical bolt of said right module and then to said check valve that lets said water pass toward said left and right distributor elements, housed respectively in said left and right casing and thereby feeding water to said three diaphragms in both said module, which are responsively inflated with water such that they press said plate flaps housed in said recesses of said left and right casings which, being coupled respectively to said left and right shafts, and shafts attached to the lid and the seat, respectively, whereby said shafts turn and the lid and the seat are lifted.