GB2426256A

GB2426256A - Hinge mounting for a toilet seat

Info

Publication number: GB2426256A
Application number: GB0508638A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew Fawcett
Original assignee: Polypipe Bathroom & Kitchen Pr
Current assignee: Polypipe Bathroom & Kitchen Pr
Priority date: 2005-04-28
Filing date: 2005-04-28
Publication date: 2006-11-22
Also published as: GB0508638D0

Abstract

A hinge assembly includes a metal hinge that, in use, extends down and through a toilet bowl, and has moulded around it, a support. The support includes circular flanges 30 and upper wings 32 that engage with an internal wall of a toilet bowl. The mounting can be assisted by a threaded member engaging with a screw section 22 and bearing against the underside of the toilet bowl.

Description

HINGE MOUNTING

The present invention relates to a toilet hinge mounting arrangement and to a method of mounting a toilet hinge.

Traditionally, toilet seat hinges have been attached to a toilet seat bowl by a threaded shank connected to an upper bent hinge section being inserted through a socket in the bowl. Downwards movement is restricted by a flange abutting the top of the bowl around the socket. The hinge is held in place by a threaded member being tightened up from beneath the socket to cause a washer to bear against the underside of the bowl around the socket. The tightening force has to be significant to stop the shank from moving around inside the socket. Furthermore, it can be difficult to effect a sufficient tightening force on the threaded member to achieve satisfactory securement, particularly as the threaded shank is in a region which is difficult to access.

It is an object of the present invention to attempt to overcome at least one of the above or other disadvantages.

According to one aspect of the present invention a toilet hinge mounting arrangement includes an upper part arranged, in use, to assist in providing a toilet hinge mounting and a locating part arranged, in use, to engage with a downwardly extending opening in a toilet bowl.

According to a further aspect of the present invention a method of mounting a toilet hinge arrangement comprises causing a locating part to engage with a downwardly extending opening in a toilet bowl with an upper part assisting in providing a toilet hinge mounting.

Various further features of the present invention are defined in the claims appended hereto.

The present invention can be carried into practice in various ways but one embodiment will now be described, by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front view of a toilet hinge assembly 10: Figure 2 is a view from beneath the hinge assembly 10, and Figure 3 is a side view of one part 12 of the hinge assembly.

The hinge assembly 10 comprises a stainless steel hinge 12 and a support 14 that surrounds at least part of the hinge 12. In use, the support 14 engages with a socket 16 at the rear of a lavatory bowl 18. A circular flange 20 at the top of the support 14 engages the top of the bowl to limit downwards movement. The lower part of the hinge 12 may, optionally, extend beneath the bowl with a screw section 22 in order that a wing nut or other threaded member can be screwed to abut the underside of the bowl to hold the assembly firmly in place. The hinge 12 includes a circular flange 24 located above, and in contact with, the flange 20 of the support in order to limit any downwards movement of the hinge 12 through the support 14 and, alternatively or additionally, in order to hold the support in contact with the socket when a threaded member is tightened on to the screw section 22.

The stainless steel hinge 12 may be push fitted with the support 14, which may be made of plastic. Alternatively, the support 14 can be moulded around the hinge 12 such as by injection moulding. As a further alternative, the hinge 12 may be screwed into and possibly through the support 14. In any event, the hinge 12 may include a knurled section 26 extending along the outer surface thereof in order to minimise the chances of the parts becoming separated.

In use, the support 14 is pushed or banged downwardly into the socket 16. This may be effected before or after a seat has been attached to the hinge. In practice it will be appreciated that a further hinge the same as the one illustrated will also support the same toilet seat with the other hinge having its bearing part 28 facing the part 28 shown. Where the hinge 12 is not integral with the support 14, the support 14 may first be located in the socket with the hinge 12 subsequently being pushed, banged or screwed through the cylindrical opening extending through the support 14.

The support 18 includes four radially extending rims 30 extending from the generally tubular outer surface. Each rim is spaced from the top and bottom of the support and each rim is equidistant from adjacent rims. The rims are thin and taper as they extend radially outwards. As the support is pushed down into the socket, the rims, which may flex slightly, engage with the circular wall of the socket 16 of the bowl. The rims may compress slightly to assist in holding the socket in place. Alternatively or additionally, the rims may flex upon insertion such that the periphery of the rims is flexed upwardly to reduce the effective outer diameter of each rim. In this way, if a force is exerted on the socket to attempt to withdraw the support in a upwards direction, the periphery of the rims tend to bite against the wall of the socket and must flip past an over centre position until the periphery extends downwardly relative to the centre line of the rims before allowing withdrawal of the support from the bowl socket 16.

The top of the support 14 includes four spaced walls 32 located around the periphery and extending axially downwards from the flange 20. The radial extent of each wall is less than the radial extent of the flange 20. The walls 32 terminate short of the uppermost rim 30 with a downwardly and inwardly extending section 34.

In the illustrated socket 16, the internal diameter is tapered downwardly and inwardly and the walls 32 and rims correspond to that taper such that the walls decrease slightly in their outermost extent as the walls extend downwardly and with the diameter of each rim 30 also decreasing from the upper to the lowermost rim. The uppermost rim has a diameter of 20.5 mm at an extent 17 mm from the top of the support 14 with subsequent rims being mm apart and having respective diameters of 19.5, 18.5 and 17.5 mm. The taper of the socket may vary with the corresponding diameter of the rims varying or the socket may be cylindrical such that the diameter of each rim is equal.

Removal and replacement of the hinge is effected by pulling the hinge from the top or by tapping the downwardly protruding section 22 and them inserting a further hinge assembly.

Attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) , and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s) . The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features

disclosed in this specification (including any

accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) , or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

1. A toilet hinge mounting arrangement including an upper part arranged, in use, to assist in providing a toilet hinge mounting and a locating part arranged, in use, to engage with a downwardly extending opening in a toilet bowl.

2. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 in which the locating part is arranged, in use, to engage with the opening at a location spaced from the top and bottom of the opening.

3. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which the locating part is arranged, in use, to engage the opening at a plurality of locations spaced from each other in the up and down extend of the opening.

4. An arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim in which the locating part is arranged, in use, to engage with the opening at an upper region of the opening.

5. An arrangement as claimed in claim 4 in which the locating part is arranged, in use, to engage with the opening at the uppermost extent of the opening.

6. An arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim in which the locating part includes at least one spacer extending, in use, transversely with respect to the up and down direction of the opening.

7. An arrangement as claimed in claim 6 in which the or each spacer includes a peripheral extent arranged, in use, to engage with the opening around the complete extent of the opening.

S

8. An arrangement as claimed in claim 7 in which the peripheral extent is circular.

9. An arrangement as claimed in any of claims 6 to 8 in which the spacer is flexible.

10. An arrangement as claimed in any of claims 6 to 9 in which the spacer is arranged, in use, to be compressed inwardly from its normal, at rest condition.

11. An arrangement as claimed in claim 9 or 10 in which the spacer is arranged, in use, to be flexed upwardly with respect to the up and down extent of the opening when the locating part is caused to engage with the opening.

12. An arrangement as claimed in claim 11 in which the spacer is arranged, in use, to flex downwardly with respect to the up and down extent of the opening when the locating part is caused to be disengaged from the opening.

13. An arrangement as claimed in any of claims 6 to 12 in which the spacer extends generally perpendicular to the intended direction of insertion of the locating part with the opening.

14. An arrangement as claimed in any of claims 6 to 13 in which the thickness of the spacer is less at the external surface of the spacer than it is at an extent inwards of that external surface.

15. An arrangement as claimed in claim 18 in which the thickness of the spacer tapers inwardly towards the external surface of the spacer.

16. An arrangement as claimed in claim 15 in which the spacer tapers inwardly in a linear taper.

17. An arrangement as claimed in any of claims 6 to 16 in which the maximum thickness of the spacer in the up and down direction of the opening when compared to the maximum width of the opening is less than 4:10 or less than 3:10 or less than 2:10 or in the region of 1:10 or more than 1:20.

18. An arrangement as claimed in any of claims 6 to 16 in which the maximum extent of the spacer in the direction transverse to the up and down direction when compared to the maximum width of the opening is less than 10:20 or less than 8:20 or in the region of 5:20 or more than 1:20 or 3:20.

19. An arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim in which the locating part includes at least one member arranged, in use, to engage with the opening along the extent of the opening in the up and down direction.

20. An arrangement as claimed in claim 19 in which the member includes a downwardly and inwardly extending portion at the lower end of the member extending away from the part of the member that, in use, S engaged with the opening.

21. An arrangement as claimed in claim 19 or 20 in which there are at least two spaced members each being arranged, in use, to engage with the opening along the same extent of the opening in the up and down direction.

22. An arrangement as claimed in claim 21 in which at least three and preferably four such members are equally spaced around the opening.

23. An arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim in which the upper part and the locating part are separate parts.

24. An arrangement as claimed in claim 23 in which the upper part is metallic.

25. An arrangement as claimed in claim 23 or 24 in which the locating part is plastic.

26. An arrangement as claimed in any of claims 23 to 25 in which the upper part is attached to the locating part by means of a push fit.

27. An arrangement as claimed in any of claims 23 to 25 in which the upper part and the locating part are formed by moulding one part to the other part.

28. An arrangement as claimed in any of claims 23 to 26 in which the upper part is at least partially coextensive with the locating part in the region where the locating part is arranged to extend within the opening.

29. An arrangement as claimed in claim 27 in which the upper part extends at least partially through the locating part.

30. An arrangement as claimed in claim 29 in which the upper part extends below the lower part.

31. An arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim in which the locating part is arranged, in use, to extend over the upwardly facing surface of the toilet bowl in the vicinity of the opening.

32. An arrangement as claimed in claims 30 and 31 in which, in use, a force is arranged to be applied to the extension of the upper part below the locating portion in order to urge the locating part that extends over the opening downwardly.

33. An arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim in which the locating part is arranged, in use, to engage with the downwardly extending opening at spaced locations in the up and down direction with an upper location having a greater cross-sectional area than a lower location.

34. An arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim including two such arrangements, arranged, in use, to be spaced from each other with each upper part assisting in providing a hinge mounting for part of a toilet.

35. An arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim which, in use, is arranged to engage with a tapered opening in a toilet bowl.

36. A toilet hinge mounting arrangement substantially and herein described with reference to and as shown in any of the accompanying drawings.

37. An arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim in which the locating part is engaged with a downwardly extending opening in a toilet bowl.

38. A method of mounting a toilet hinge arrangement comprising causing a locating part to engage with a downwardly extending opening in a toilet bowl with an upper part assisting in providing a toilet hinge mounting.

39. A method as claimed in claim 38 comprising moving the locating part downwardly into the opening.

40. A method of mounting a toilet hinge arrangement substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in any of the accompanying drawings.

41. A method as claimed in any of claims 39 to 40 when using an arrangement as claimed in any of claims 1 to 37.