Spring mechanism for toilet seat and toilet seat
A spring mechanism for returning a seat plate to a desired angular position relative to a toilet seat includes a rotatable pivot shaft mounted on the toilet seat and interactable with the seat plate so that the shaft is rotated whenever the seat plate is rotated over its angular travel, a first spring interconnecting the toilet seat and the pivot shaft for biasing the seat plate towards the desired angular position, and a pawl engageable with the rotatable pivot shaft as the pivot shaft is urged by the first spring to rotate in a first direction for moving the seat plate to the desired angular position. The engagement temporarily holds the rotation of the seat plate in the first direction for a period of time until the pivot shaft disengages the pawl due to the spring force exerted thereon by the first spring. In an exemplary toilet seat embodiment according to an aspect of the invention, when the seat plate returns to the desired angular position, the seat plate can be sterilized automatically.
1. Field of the Invention
The present application relates to toilet seats and spring mechanisms for raising a seat plate of a toilet seat to a desired angular position.
2. Background of the Invention
It may be desirable to maintain the seat plate of a toilet seat in a vertical or upright position when it is not in use, especially in public toilets. Spring biased seats for returning the seat plate to the desired position are known, and various improvements have been made. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,402,092, filed by Larry L. Smallwood on Oct. 2, 1981, discloses the uses of a slipping clutch to slow the angular rotation of the seat plate to its spring-biased position.
However, in design of the '092 patent, as soon as the user leaves the seat plate of the toilet seat, the seat plate starts rising up. This may not be convenient or comfortable to the user.
Furthermore, it may be desirable to sterilize the seat plate regularly.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTIONTherefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved spring mechanism for returning a seat plate, which may hold the seat plate for a while as the seat plate starts returning to a desired position, or at least provide the public with a useful choice.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved toilet seat, whose seat plate can be held for a while as it starts returning to a desired position, or at least provide the public with a useful choice. Preferably, the toilet seat can be sterilized automatically.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccording to an aspect of the present invention, a spring mechanism for returning a seat plate to a desired angular position relative to a toilet seat includes a rotatable pivot shaft mounted on the toilet seat and interactable with the seat plate so that the shaft is rotated whenever the seat plate is rotated over its angular travel, a first spring interconnecting the toilet seat and the pivot shaft for biasing the seat plate towards the desired angular position, and a pawl engageable with the rotatable pivot shaft as the pivot shaft is urged by the first spring to rotate in a first direction for moving the seat plate to the desired angular position. The engagement temporarily holds the rotation of the seat plate in the first direction for a period of time until the pivot shaft disengages the pawl due to the spring force exerted thereon by the first spring.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, a toilet seat includes
-
- a seat plate; and
- a spring mechanism for returning the seat plate to a desired angular position relative to the toilet seat, including:
- a rotatable pivot shaft mounted on the toilet seat and interactable with the seat plate so that the shaft is rotated whenever the seat plate is rotated over Its angular travel;
- a first spring interconnecting the toilet seat and the pivot shaft for biasing the seat plate towards the desired angular position; and
- a pawl engageable with the rotatable pivot shaft as the pivot shaft is urged by the first spring to rotate in a first direction for moving the seat plate to the desired angular position,
- wherein said engagement temporarily stops the rotation of the seat plate in the first direction for a period of time until the pivot shaft disengages the pawl due to the spring force exerted thereon by the first spring.
Preferably, the toilet seat includes a mechanism for automatically sterilizing the seat plate when the seat plate returns to the desired angular position.
Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which description illustrates by way of example the principles of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Furthermore, the cover plate 111 is pivotably mounted to a primary shaft 401 through a cover plate hanging arm 201; the seat plate 109 is secured to the primary shaft 401 through a seat plate hanging arm 203 and a pair of screws 205 so that rotation of the seat plate 109 between the vertical and horizontal positions causes rotations of the primary shaft 401 as well. The primary shaft 401 is pivotably or rotatably mounted to a pair of brackets (not shown) projecting from the toilet bowl 107 as could be understood in the art. A retention box 207 is also mounted on the primary shaft for housing a spring mechanism 501 (see
As shown in
Each pawl 601 is pivotably mounted to a bracket 807 in the retention box through a screw passing though a hole 805 thereon and a corresponding nut 803. One end 701 of the pawl 601, relatively distanced from the pivot 703, is connected to an end of a tension spring 705, the other end of which is mounted to the bottom 707 of the retention box 207. The other end 709 of the pawl 601, relatively closer to the pivot 703, provides a relatively steep retention surface 809 on one side for engaging a mating engaging surface 811 of a projection 813 provided on the engaging cam 603. The other side of end 709 provides a curved surface 815, which can be in smooth contact with the engaging cam.
Operation of the spring mechanism 501 is described as follows. When the toile seat is in use, the cover plate is generally in its vertical position, and the seat plate is rotated to its horizontal position. During such rotation, the torsion spring on the secondary shaft is biased. As the user leaves the seat plate and no restraints are exerted on the seat plate, due to the spring force of the torsion spring, the secondary shaft is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction as indicated by arrow S′ in
The torsion spring, the tension spring and the lever system provided by the pawl are configured such that the spring force of the torsion spring will overcome the spring force of the tension spring so that the retention cam further pushes down end 709 of the pawl 601 until they disengage each other. Thereafter, without the constraints by the pawl 601, the torsion spring further rotates the secondary shaft 505 in the S′ direction and consequently lifts up the seat plate.
With reference to
In the exemplary embodiment, the ratio of the numbers of the teeth of gears 507, 509, which are mounted to the primary and second shafts respectively, is set to be 3:1 so that as the primary shaft is rotated by 100 degrees, the second shaft is rotated by 300 degrees. % ice versa.
As shown in
During rotation of the seat plate from its substantially vertical position to the horizontal position, when the second shaft has been rotated clockwise as shown by arrow 1007 by approximately 290 degrees, the projection 813 comes in contact with curved surface 815 of the pawl and thereby pushes the pawl to rotate counter-clockwise. Spring 705 is compressed.
As the seat plate is rotated further to its horizontal position, the engaging surface 811 passes the pawl to a position slightly above the pawl when the second shaft has been rotated by 300 degrees. Due to a clearance between the pawl and the cam (not shown) and the spring force of the spring 705, the pawl returns to its balanced position, in which the pawl extends substantially horizontally.
Due to the spring force of the torsion spring 511, the engaging surface 811 pushes down the pawl as shown In
Furthermore, when the seat plate is lifted to its vertical position, it becomes in contact with the sterilization paper towel so that automatic sterilization is achieved.
Claims
1. A spring mechanism for returning a seat plate to a desired angular position relative to a toilet seat, comprising:
- a rotatable pivot shaft mounted on the toilet seat and interactable with the seat plate so that the shaft is rotated whenever the seat plate is rotated over its angular travel;
- a first spring interconnecting the toilet seat and the pivot shaft for biasing the seat plate towards the desired angular position; and
- a pawl engageable with the rotatable pivot shaft as the pivot shaft is urged by the first spring to rotate in a first direction for moving the seat plate to the desired angular position,
- wherein said engagement temporarily holds the rotation of the seat plate in the first direction for a period of time until the pivot shaft disengages the pawl due to the spring force exerted thereon by the first spring.
2. The spring mechanism of claim 1, further comprising an engaging tooth mounted on the pivot shaft for engaging the pawl.
3. The spring mechanism of claim 1, wherein the pivot shaft includes a profile with an engaging surface for engaging the pawl.
4. The spring mechanism of claim 3, wherein the profile is designed to provide a clearance, which allows the pawl to move to a position after it has disengaged the engaging surface so that the pawl will not be in engagement with the pivot shaft during subsequent rotation of the pivot shaft in the first direction.
5. The spring mechanism of claim 3, wherein the pivot shaft includes a retention hook mounted thereon for providing said profile with the engaging surface.
6. The spring mechanism of claim 1, further comprising a second spring for biasing the pawl towards the pivot shaft.
7. The spring mechanism of claim 6, wherein the pawl is pivotable mounted to the toilet seat with one end connected to the second spring and the other end to engage the pivot shaft.
8. The spring mechanism of claim 7, wherein the second spring is a tension spring.
9. The spring mechanism of claim 1, further comprising
- an idler shaft to which the toilet seat is secured so that the shaft is rotated whenever the toilet seat is rotated over its angular travel;
- a transmission mechanism between the idler shaft and the pivot shaft for correlating rotations of the idler shaft and the pivot shaft.
10. The spring mechanism of claim 6, wherein the first spring is a torsion spring mounted to the pivot shaft.
11. A toilet seat, comprising
- a seat plate; and
- a spring mechanism for returning the seat plate to a desired angular position relative to the toilet seat, Including: a rotatable pivot shaft mounted on the toilet seat and interactable with the seat plate so that the shaft is rotated whenever the seat plate is rotated over its angular travel; a first spring interconnecting the toilet seat and the pivot shaft for biasing the seat plate towards the desired angular position: and a pawl engageable with the rotatable pivot shaft as the pivot shaft is urged by the first spring to rotate in a first direction for moving the seat plate to the desired angular position, wherein said engagement temporarily stops the rotation of the seat plate in the first direction for a period of time until the pivot shaft disengages the pawl due to the spring force exerted thereon by the first spring.
12. The toilet seat of claim 11, wherein the pivot shaft includes a profile with an engaging surface for engaging the pawl.
13. The toilet seat of claim 12, wherein the profile is designed to provide a clearance, which allows the pawl to move to a position after it has disengaged the engaging surface so that the pawl will not be in engagement with the pivot shaft during subsequent rotation of the pivot shaft in the first direction.
14. The toilet seat of claim 11, further comprising a second spring for biasing the pawl towards the pivot shaft.
15. The toilet seat of claim 14, wherein the pawl is pivotable mounted to the toilet seat with one end connected to the second spring and the other end to engage the pivot shaft.
16. The toilet seat of claim 11, further comprising
- an idler shaft to which the toilet seat is secured so that the shaft is rotated whenever the toilet seat is rotated over its angular travel;
- a transmission mechanism between the idler shaft and the pivot shaft for correlating rotations of the idler shaft and the pivot shaft.
17. The toilet seat of claim 11, further comprising at least one suction rubber damper mounted to a bottom of the seat plate for temporarily holding the rotation of the seat plate in the first direction.
18. The toilet seat of claim 11, further comprising means for automatically sterilizing the seat plate when the seat plate returns to the desired angular position.
19. The toilet seat of claim 11, further comprising
- a cover plate generally atop the seat plate; and
- a sterilized paper towel attached to a bottom of the cover plate for sterilizing the seat plate when it is in engagement with the seat plate.
20. The toilet seat of claim 19, wherein the sterilized paper towel is self-adhesive and is shaped to receive the seat plate surface.
21. The toilet seat of claim 20, wherein the cover plate is modeled in accordance with the configuration of the seat plate surface.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 29, 2005
Publication Date: Mar 1, 2007
Inventor: Yim Chiu (Hong Kong)
Application Number: 11/212,913
International Classification: A47K 13/10 (20060101);