Toilet Seat Assembly

• US 20080276358A1
• Filed: 09/14/2005
• Published: 11/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jeffrey Allen, Paul Bartholomew Ravenhill
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey Allen, Paul Bartholomew Ravenhill
• Inventors: Allen, Jeffrey, Ravenhill, Paul Bartholomew
• Granted Patent: US 8,091,154 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 4/240
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 13/12 Hinges

Abstract

A toilet seat assembly comprising a seat (2) and hinge means (5) for hingedly attaching the seat (2) to a toilet. The hinge means (5) comprises a mounting block (50) having an arcuate slot (17), and an arcuate seat tang (20) extends rearwardly of the seat which is slidable in the arcuate slot of the mounting block. The assembly may also comprise a lid (3); and hinge means for hingedly attaching the lid (3) to a toilet; and an arcuate lid tang (23) extending rearwardly of the lid which is also slidable in the arcuate slot (17) of the mounting block (50).

Claims

1. A toilet seat assembly comprising:

a seat; and

hinge means for hingedly attaching the seat to a toilet;

wherein;

the hinge means comprises;

a mounting block having an arcuate slot;

an arcuate seat tang extending rearwardly of the seat which is slidable in the arcuate slot of the mounting block.

2. A toilet seat assembly as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a lid;

hinge means for hingedly attaching the lid to a toilet; and

an arcuate lid tang extending rearwardly of the lid which is also slidable in the arcuate slot of the mounting block.

3. A toilet seat assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein the seat has a plurality of seat tangs each slidable in the arcuate slot and sandwiching therebetween the lid tang.

4. A toilet seat assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein when the seat is in a down position thereof overlying a rim of a bowl of a toilet and the lid is in an up position tilted upwardly away from contact with the seat, then the seat defines an aperture which is located between the seat tangs and the mounting block and which is located above the toilet bowl, the aperture permitting flow into the toilet bowl of any material falling onto a lower surface of the lid.

5. A toilet seat assembly as claimed in claim 4 wherein the lower surface of the lid is profiled to direct liquid incident on the lid in the up position into the aperture.

6. A toilet seat assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein the lid has a lower surface with a peripheral recess which matches the toilet seat and receives the toilet seat when the seat and lid abut each other and wherein the lid has a central portion which lies substantially flush with a lower surface of the seat when the seat and the lid abut each other.

7. A toilet seat assembly as claimed in claim 6 wherein the peripheral recess has wall surfaces angled to direct downwardly any liquid impinging on the lid when the lid is in the upper position.

8. A toilet seat assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the mounting block has a component formed from an extrusion and the arcuate slot extends completely through the extruded component.

9. A toilet seat assembly as claimed in claim 8 wherein the mounting block is provided with end plates overlying ends of the arcuate slot to prevent the lid tang and the seat tang(s) from sliding lengthwise along the arcuate slot out of the arcuate slot.

10. A toilet seat assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein the lid tang has a slot therethrough and a dowel extends through the mounting block and the slot in the lid tang to securely locate the lid tang in the arcuate slot of the mounting block.

11. A toilet seat assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein the mounting block is movable relative to the toilet between:

a first mounting block position in which the seat and lid can be hinged between a down position overlying the toilet bowl rim and an up position in which they engage a backstop; and

a second mounting block position in which rotation of the seat and lid is not limited by the backstop and the seat and lid tangs can be rotated out of the arcuate slot to allow detachment of the seat and lid from the arcuate slot.

12. A toilet seat assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein:

the seat and lid tangs and/or the mounting block is/are flexible; and

when the seat and lid are in up positions thereof, hingedly pivoted away from a/the bowl rim of the toilet, then the seat and lid tangs extend into the arcuate slot to a first extent; and

when the seat and lid are in down positions thereof, overlying a/the toilet bowl rim, then the seat and lid tangs extend into the arcuate slot to a second extent, greater than the first extent; and

when the seat and lid tangs extend into the arcuate slot to the second extent then they hold the seat and lid firmly in place and provide significant resistance to withdrawal of the seat and lid tangs from the arcuate slot; and

when the seat and lid tangs extend into the arcuate slot to the first extent thereof then the flexibility of the tangs and/or the mounting block allows withdrawal of the tangs from the arcuate slot by application of a force to the seat and lid in a direction perpendicular to a hinge axis thereof.

13. A toilet seat assembly as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

a lid and an arcuate lid tang extending rearwardly of the lid;

wherein;

the lid tang is interleaved with the seat tang, with the seat tang providing an arcuate channel in which the lid tang can slide and with the seat tang and the lid tang sliding together in the arcuate channel in the mounting block.

14. A toilet seat assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the mounting block comprises a plurality of separate sections.

15. A toilet seat assembly comprising:

a seat; and

hinge means for hingedly attaching the seat to a toilet;

wherein;

the hinge means comprises;

a mounting block having an arcuate tang;

an arcuate seat slot extending to the rear of the seat which is slidable around the arcuate tang of the mounting block.

16. A toilet seat assembly as claimed in claim 15 comprising additionally:

a lid; and

an arcuate lid slot extending to the rear of the lid which is also slidable around the arcuate tang of the mounting block.

17. A toilet seat assembly as claimed in claim 16 wherein the lower surface of the lid is profiled to direct liquid incident on the lid in the up position into the aperture.

18. A toilet seat assembly as claimed in claim 16 wherein the lid has a lower surface with a peripheral recess which matches the toilet seat and receives the toilet seat when the seat and lid abut each other and wherein the lid has a central portion which lies substantially flush with a lower surface of the seat when the seat and the lid abut each other.

19. A toilet seat assembly as claimed in claim 18 wherein the peripheral recess has wall surfaces angled to direct downwardly any liquid impinging on the lid when the lid is in the upper position.

20. A toilet seat assembly as claimed in claim 16 wherein:

the arcuate tang of the mounting block is flexible; and

when the seat and lid are in up positions thereof, hingedly pivoted away from a bowl rim of the toilet, then the arcuate tang extends into the arcuate slots of the seat and lid to a first extent; and

when the seat and lid are in down positions thereof, overlying the toilet bowl rim, then the arcuate tang extends into the arcuate slots of the seat and lid to a second extent, greater than the first extent; and

when the arcuate tang extends into the arcuate slots to the second extent then the tang holds the seat and lid firmly in place and provides significant resistance to withdrawal of the arcuate tang from the arcuate slots; and

when the arcuate tang extends into the arcuate slots to the first extent thereof then the flexibility of the tang allows withdrawal of the tang from the arcuate slots by application of a force to the seat and lid in a direction perpendicular to a hinge axis thereof.