Toilet Fastening Apparatus

Abstract

A toilet seat fastening apparatus for use in tightening a toilet seat with a bolt having a plurality of bolt threads to a porcelain toilet bowl that defines a bolt hole, includes a body member having a channel extending between upper and lower ends that is configured to receive the bolt therethrough. The channel includes channel threads complementary to the bolt threads. The body member includes a central portion having a pair of opposed flanges extending outwardly and configured to be grasped by a user's fingers. The body member includes an upper portion situated atop the central portion having a diameter complementary to a diameter of the porcelain toilet bowl bolt hole so as to be selectively positioned therein. The body member may include a lower portion situated below the central portion and configured to be engaged by a wrench. The upper, central, and lower portions have a unitary construction.

Description

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This non-provisional patent application claims the benefit of provisional application Ser. No. 61/731,516 filed on Nov. 30, 2012, titled Toilet Fastening Apparatus.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to fastening devices and, more particularly, to a fastening apparatus configured to quickly and securely fasten a toilet seat to a porcelain toilet bowl of a type that defines one or more bolt holes.

Toilet seats are conventionally attached to a porcelain toilet bowl with a toilet seat bolt that is inserted through a toilet bowl bolt hole and tightened down. Unfortunately, the toilet seat tends to become loose over time if the bolt and corresponding nut are not kept in a tight and secure relationship. A loose toilet seat is very undesirable in that a loose toilet seat may result in injury to a user. For instance, a person may be thrown off balance when attempting to be seated on an unstable and loose toilet seat resulting in falling off the seat or straining muscles while attempting to keep from falling. Keeping the bolt/nut combination tightened may be a time consuming process as it may require a traditional or socket wrench be used repeatedly to tighten the nut onto the elongate toilet seat bolt.

Various fastener devices have been proposed in the prior art for keeping a toilet seat safe and secure. Although assumably effective for their intended purposes, the existing products and proposals do not provide a fastening apparatus that is both easy and fast to hand tighten, to also securely tighten with a wrench, and to eliminate an undesirably loose fit within the porcelain toilet bowl bolt hole.

Therefore, it would be desirable to have a toilet seat fastening apparatus that provides each of the limitations found absent or inadequate in the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A toilet seat fastening apparatus for use in tightening a toilet seat with a bolt having a plurality of bolt threads to a porcelain toilet bowl that defines a bolt hole, includes a body member having a channel extending between upper and lower ends that is configured to receive the bolt therethrough. The channel includes channel threads complementary to the bolt threads. The body member includes a central portion having a pair of opposed flanges extending outwardly and configured to be grasped by a user's fingers. The body member includes an upper portion situated atop the central portion having a diameter complementary to a diameter of the porcelain toilet bowl bolt hole so as to be selectively positioned therein. The body member may include a lower portion situated below the central portion and configured to be engaged by a wrench. The upper, central, and lower portions have a unitary construction.

Therefore, a general object of this invention is to provide a toilet seat fastening apparatus for quickly and securely fastening a toilet seat to a porcelain toilet bowl.

Another object of this invention is to provide a toilet seat fastening apparatus, as aforesaid, having a structure that enables a user to substantially mount and finger-tighten the apparatus to a toilet seat bolt with his fingers.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a toilet seat fastening apparatus, as aforesaid, having structure that enables a user to tightly secure the apparatus to the toilet bolt with a wrench.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a toilet seat fastening apparatus, as aforesaid, in which an upper portion is configured to become lodged in a porcelain toilet bowl bolt hole and, thus, stabilize a toilet seat bolt extending therethrough.

A further object of this invention is to provide a toilet seat fastening apparatus, as aforesaid, in which a finger-tightening structure and a wrench-tightening structure are integrally connected.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a toilet seat fastening apparatus, as aforesaid, that is easy to use and economical to produce.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, embodiments of this invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a toilet seat fastening apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention in use with a toilet seat bolt;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view from another angle of the toilet seat fastening apparatus as in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a toilet seat fastening apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention in use with a toilet seat bolt;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the toilet seat fastening apparatus as in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is another perspective view of the toilet seat fastening apparatus as in FIG. 1 showing the fastening apparatus partially removed from the toilet seat fastening bolt;

FIG. 6a is a perspective view of the toilet seat fastening apparatus in use on a toilet; and

FIG. 6b is an isolated view of the toilet seat fastening apparatus on an enlarged scale taken from FIG. 6a.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A toilet seat fastening apparatus 10 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings. As referenced in FIG. 1, the fastening apparatus 10 includes a body member 12 configured to receive a toilet seat fastening bolt 30, the body member 12 having an upper portion 16, central portion 20, and lower portion 24. The fastening apparatus 10 positions over at least one bolt hole defined by a porcelain toilet bowl 8, and provides a framework for the toilet seat fastening bolt 30 to pass through. In this manner, a toilet seat 9 may be secured onto a porcelain toilet bowl 8.

The body member 12 includes a channel 13 that extends along a longitudinal axis of the toilet seat fastening apparatus 10. The channel 13 is configured to receive the toilet seat bolt 30. The channel 13 includes a plurality of channel threads complementary to the plurality of bolt threads 36 so that the body member 12 is selectively threadably received onto the toilet seat bolt 30. However, in other embodiments, the toilet seat bolt 30 may secure into the channel through other means, including, without limitation, frictional relationships, magnets, wings nuts, and screws.

Toilet seats are conventionally attached to the porcelain toilet bowl with a toilet seat fastening bolt 30 having an upper end 32, a lower end 34, and having a plurality of bolt threads 36 extending therebetween (FIG. 4). In some embodiments, the toilet seat bolt 30 may include a rigid longitudinal axis efficacious for securing the toilet seat to the toilet bowl 8. Suitable materials for the toilet seat fastening bolt 30 may include, without limitation, steel, aluminum, metal alloy, high density polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride, rigid plastic, foam, and fiberglass. In some embodiments, the toilet seat bolt 30 may include an antibacterial surface. The porcelain toilet bowl 8 may define at least one but preferably two bolt holes through which the toilet seat bolt may be inserted and tightened with a nut in a manner that sandwiches a toilet seat flange. The toilet seat 9 may pivotally lift and lower onto the toilet bowl 8, even while secured with the toilet seat fastening apparatus 10.

The central portion 20 of the body member 12 includes a central portion lower end 21 and a central portion upper end 22 (FIG. 4). A pair of opposed flanges 23 extend outwardly from a main section of the central portion 20, and are configured to be grasped by a user's fingers. Each flange 23 may have a generally triangular or hemispherical shape that dcan be easily grasped. The central portion 20 provides the surface by which the toilet seat fastening apparatus 10 may be oriented and manipulated into a desired position.

The central portion 20 includes a diameter greater than a diameter of the bolt hole so as not to be received therein. However, in other embodiments, the central portion 20 may include a perpendicular flange that extends outwardly to engage the outer perimeter of the bolt hole, thereby preventing the toilet seat fastening apparatus 10 from passing through the bolt hole. In one embodiment, the central portion 20 includes a tubular shape configured to receive a round bolt. However, in other embodiments, the central portion 20 may be configured in various shapes, including, without limitation, a hexagon, a square, and an oval. The central portion 20 may be fabricated from various materials, including, without limitation, steel, aluminum, metal alloy, high density polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride, rigid plastic, foam, and fiberglass.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the fastening apparatus 10 is partially removed from the toilet seat fastening bolt. The upper portion 16 of the body member 12 is situated atop the central portion 20 and includes an upper portion lower end 17 integrally connected to the central portion upper end 22 (FIGS. 1 and 4). In one embodiment, the upper portion lower end 17 may be integrally formed into a unitary component with the central portion upper end 22. However, in another embodiment, the upper portion 16 may be detachably coupled to the central portion 20. The upper portion 16 is configured to receive the toilet seat bolt 30, and includes a tubular shape that conforms to the shape of the toilet seat bolt 30. The upper portion 16 includes a diameter complementary to a diameter of the porcelain toilet bowl bolt hole so as to be selectively positioned therein.

FIG. 2 illustrates the toilet seat fastening apparatus from a bottom view and shows the lower portion 24 of the body member 12 connected to a central portion lower end 21. Preferably, the lower portion 24 is configured to be engaged by a wrench. In this manner, the lower portion 24 may be rotatably coupled to the toilet seat fastening bolt 30. More particularly, the lower portion 24 may include a nut. However, in some embodiments, the lower portion 24 may be configured to be rotated by a hand. In yet another embodiment, the lower portion 24 may include a wedge shape for securing the toilet seat bolt 30 in a wedged position (not shown). The lower portion 24 may be fabricated from various materials, including, without limitation, steel, aluminum, metal alloy, high density polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride, rigid plastic, foam, and fiberglass.

An alternative embodiment of the toilet seat fastening apparatus 10 is shown in FIG. 3 and includes a substantially similar configuration as the toilet seat fastening apparatus 10 first described except as described below. In this embodiment, the body member upper portion 16 includes a plurality of discs 18 slightly spaced apart from one another (FIG. 3). Each disc 18 is situated atop a lowerly adjacent disc 18. The plurality of spaced apart flexible discs 18 is configured to conform to a configuration of the porcelain toilet bowl bolt hole when received therein. In this manner, a friction fit relationship is formed between the upper portion 16, and the bolt hole. Each disc 18 may position above the other to reinforce the friction fit relationship. Each disc 18 may have variably sized diameters that ascend or descend along a longitudinal axis of the upper portion 16. In one embodiment, the upper portion 16 includes a generally cylindrical configuration and is constructed of a generally resilient material. However, in other embodiments, the upper portion 16 may be fabricated from various materials, including, without limitation, steel, aluminum, metal alloy, high density polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride, rigid plastic, foam, and fiberglass. In yet another alternative embodiment, the upper portion 16 may attach with the bolt hole through other means, including, without limitation, a wedge shape, a magnet, a threaded portion, and a winged nut.

In use, the toilet seat fastening apparatus 10 may be selectively and removably coupled to a toilet seat bolt 30 in a manner so as to more quickly and more securely secure a toilet seat to a porcelain toilet bowl 8. The toilet seat fastening apparatus 10 is initially positioned over a toilet bolt hole. The toilet fastening seat bolt 30 is positioned over the body member 12 and the toilet bolt hole. The toilet seat 9 is checked to assure proper alignment with the channel 13 in the body member 12. The toilet seat bolt 30 may then rotate through the channel and the toilet bolt hole until the toilet seat bolt 30 is flush against the upper portion 17. If the plurality of spaced apart flexible discs 18 is incorporated into the upper portion 16, each disc 18 should flex upwardly while pressing against the bolt hole.

It is understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims and allowable functional equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. A toilet seat fastening apparatus for use in tightening a toilet seat with a seat fastening bolt having a plurality of bolt threads to a porcelain toilet bowl that defines a bolt hole, said fastening apparatus comprising:

a body member having an upper end and an opposed lower end and defining a channel extending longitudinally therebetween that is configured to receive the bolt, said channel having a plurality of channel threads complementary to the plurality of bolt threads so that said body member is selectively threadably received onto the seat fastening bolt;

wherein said body member includes: a central portion having a pair of opposed flanges extending outwardly and configured to be grasped by a user's fingers; and an upper portion situated atop said central portion having a diameter complementary to a diameter of the porcelain toilet bowl bolt hole so as to be selectively positioned therein.

2. The fastening apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said body member includes a lower portion situated below said central portion and configured to be engaged by a wrench, whereby, to be rotatably coupled to the seat fastening bolt.

3. The fastening apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said central, upper, and lower portions of said body member include a unitary construction such that all portions are selectively rotated simultaneously relative to the bolt.

4. The fastening apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said lower portion of said body member is a nut having a hexagonal configuration.

5. The fastening apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said central portion of said body member includes a diameter that is larger than the diameter of the porcelain toilet bowl bolt hole so as not to be received therein.

6. The fastening apparatus as in claim 6, wherein said central portion of said body member is immediately adjacent the porcelain toilet bowl bolt hole when said upper portion of said body member is situated within the porcelain toilet bowl bolt hole.

7. The fastening apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said central portion of said body member includes a main section having a generally cylindrical configuration, said pair of opposed flanges extending outwardly from said main section.

8. The fastening apparatus as in claim 2, wherein said upper portion of said body member includes a generally cylindrical configuration and is constructed of a generally resilient material.

9. The fastening apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said upper portion of said body member includes a generally cylindrical configuration and is constructed of a generally resilient material.

10. The fastening apparatus as in claim 2, wherein said upper portion of said body member includes a plurality of spaced apart flexible discs, said plurality of discs configured to conform in a friction fit engagement to a configuration of the porcelain toilet bowl bolt hole when received therein.

11. The fastening apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said upper portion of said body member includes a plurality of spaced apart flexible discs, said plurality of discs configured to conform to a configuration of the porcelain toilet bowl bolt hole when received therein.

12. The fastening apparatus as in claim 11, wherein each disc includes a diameter greater than a diameter of the porcelain toilet bowl bolt hole such said plurality of discs are situated in the porcelain toilet bowl bolt hole in a friction fit relationship when received therein.