Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TOILET SEAT QUICK RELEASE SYSTEM
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
[0001] The present invention relates to a toilet seat and lid quick release
hinge system. Although embodiments of the invention is suitable for a wide
scope of applications, it is particularly suitable for enabling quick release
of a
toilet seat from a toilet bowl, for releasing a toilet seat without undoing
mounting
screw or bolts from the toilet bowl and for putting down the lid when the seat
is
put down from a raised position.
Discussion Of The Related Art
[0002] A toilet seat generally requires more frequent replacement than a
toilet
bowl due to wear and tear, and a toilet seat can be replaced without replacing
the
entire toilet. A toilet seat also can be replaced to match any bathroom color
scheme or motif.
[0003] In general, a toilet seat is affixed to a toilet bowl by placing
mounting
screws or bolts through a flange portion of the toilet bowl and by fastening
screw
nuts from the bottom surface of the toilet bowl to the mounting screws.
Conventionally, to replace the toilet seat, each of the screws or mounting
bolts
needs to be unfastened from the washers and nuts. However, as mounting
screws and bolts rust or corrode especially in a moist environment, the screws
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the mounting bolts can be hard to loosen or unfasten. Furthermore, the nuts
can
recess due to the passage of time, making the nuts practically inaccessible
and
toilet seat replacement difficult.
[0004] U.S. Patent No. 6,070,295 to Hulsebus discloses a "Quick Release
Seat Hinge With Swivel" formed of a "mounting post" fixed to the toilet bowl,
a
"hinge post" connected to the toilet seat, and a "latch member" that engages
the
hinge and mounting posts. The latch member is moved to "a latched position" to
"directly or indirectly" engage the mounting post and hold the toilet down.
The
latch member is also "movable to an unlatched position wherein the latch
member is directly or indirectly disengaged from the mounting post" to allow
the
seat to be lifted up from the mounting post. The latch member also has a "top
wall" and, when the latch member is in the latched position, the top wall
"substantially completely covers the mounting post". The hinge post and latch
member form two, moving parts that must engage each other. Dirt and filth can
enter the joints between these parts, which forms a breeding ground for
bacteria.
Moreover, the moving parts can become separated and lost or broken. What is
needed is a toilet seat and lid quick release assembly with a hinge mount
formed
as a single piece and a quick release lever that engages the hinge mount from
beneath.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The present invention utilizes a toilet seat and lid hinge hold-down
screw with a release lever at the bottom. The hold-down screw has a head
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flange with diametrically opposed, outwardly extending projections. These
projections engage a slot in the hinge mount of a toilet seat and lid hinge
assembly, thereby releaseably holding the seat and lid hinge assembly to the
toilet bowl. When the user wants to remove the seat and lid, in order to clean
the
toilet bowl or seat, for example, the release levers can be turned to free the
projections from the hinge assembly.
[0006] Accordingly, embodiments of the invention are directed to a toilet seat
and lid hinge assembly that substantially obviates one or more of the problems
due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
[0007] An object of embodiments of the invention is to provide a hinge
assembly that provides easy installation and quick release of a toilet seat.
[0008] Additional features and advantages of embodiments of the invention
will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be
apparent from
the description, or may be learned by practice of embodiments of the
invention.
The objectives and other advantages of the embodiments of the invention will
be
realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written
description hereof as well as the appended drawings.
[0009] To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the
purpose of embodiments of the invention, as embodied and broadly described, a
device for affixing a toilet seat to a toilet bowl includes a mounting post
having a
mounting post bore therein a first screw for passing through the mounting post
bore, the first screw having a head with at least one projection, a nut for
fastening
the mounting post onto the toilet bowl a lever for coupling to the first screw
and
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for selectively rotating the first screw, and a hinge mount for coupling to
the toilet
seat, the hinge mount having an opening for receiving the head of the first
screw
and a locking slot for selectively receiving the projection of the first
screw.
[0010] In another aspect, a hinge assembly includes a mounting post having a
mounting post bore therein, a first screw for passing through the mounting
post
bore, the first screw having a head with at least one projection, a lever
extender
for coupling to the first screw and for selectively rotating the first screw,
and a
hinge mount having an opening for receiving the head of the first screw and a
locking slot for selectively receiving the projection of the first screw
[0011] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and
the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are
intended to provide further explanation of embodiments of the invention as
claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further
understanding of embodiments of the invention and are incorporated in and
constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the
invention and
together with the description serve to explain the principles of embodiments
of
the invention.
[0013] Figure 1 is a perspective, exploded view of the parts according to an
embodiment of the present invention.
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[00141 Figure 2 is a side view of the toilet quick release system according to
an embodiment of the present invention attached to a toilet seat and lid.
100151 Figure 3A is a side view of the hinge mount according to an
embodiment of the present invention.
[0016] Figure 3B is a bottom view of the hinge mount according to an
embodiment of the present invention.
[0017] Figure 4 is a perspective view of a first hinge part according to an
embodiment of the present invention.
100181 Figure 5 is a side, cross-section view of a mounting post according to
an embodiment of the present invention.
100191 Figure 6A is a side view of a hinge hold down screw according to an
embodiment of the present invention.
[00201 Figure 6B is a side, cross-section view of a hinge hold down screw
according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0021] Figure 6C is a bottom view of the hinge hold down screw according to
an embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0022] Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of
the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
[0023] Figure 1 shows an exploded view of the parts of the toilet seat quick
release system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. A hinge
mount 11 is secured to the top of a toilet bowl (not shown). The hinge mount
11
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has a forward-facing body portion 37 which forms a hinge structure 38. A hinge
axle 14 extends through a bore 46 (shown in Figure 3A) in the hinge structure
38.
A first hinge 12 has a first hinge head 36 with a bore 50 (shown in Figure 4)
into
which the first hinge axle journal 39 is inserted. The first hinge 12 can
rotate on
the journal 39. The first hinge 12 has a forward-facing tongue 34 with holes
35.
The tongue 34 provides the first hinge surface to which a toilet seat 20
(shown in
Figure 2) or lid 21 (also shown in Figure 2) can be fixed with screws (not
shown).
A second hinge 13 has a second hinge head 42 with a substantially rectangular
bore 43 into which the substantially rectangular axle journal 41 is inserted.
It will
be appreciated that, owing to the rectangular bore 43 and journal 41, when the
second hinge 13 is rotated with respect to the hinge structure 38 of the hinge
mount 11, the axle 14 will rotate.
[0024] In a preferred embodiment, ribs 40 on the surface of the first axle
journal 39 frictionally engage the bore 50 of the first hinge 12, so that when
the
axle 14 rotates it exerts rotating force to the first hinge 12. In this way,
if the first
hinge 12 is mounted to the toilet seat 20, as shown in Figure 2, putting down
the
seat 20 from a raised position will also cause the lid 21 to follow. The
second
hinge 13 has a forward-facing tongue 44 with holes 45. The tongue 44 provides
the second hinge surface to which a toilet lid 21 (shown in Figure 2) or seat
20
(also shown in Figure 2) can be fixed with screws (not shown).
[0025] The hinge mount 11 is secured to a toilet bowl by a quick release hinge
hold-down screw 17 which extends through the bore 51 (shown in Figure 5)
extending through a mounting post 15. The mounting post 15 is sized to fit
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through the conventional holes (not shown) that extend down through the bottom
surface of a toilet bowl. The mounting post 15 has a flanged head 26 that
rests
on top of the toilet bowl and a threaded shaft 27 that extends through the
holes in
a toilet bowl and extends below the bottom lip of the toilet bowl. A mounting
post
nut 16 has a threaded bore 28 that mates with the shaft 27 to secure the
mounting post 15 to the toilet bowl. The hinge hold-down screw 17 has a
hexagonal shaft 25 (shown in Figure 6C) that is sized to rotate within the
mounting post bore 51. The hinge hold-down screw has a flanged head 22 that
rest on top of the head 26 of the mounting post 15. The hold-down screw 17
extends through the bottom of the mounting post 15 and a release lever 18 is
fixed to the bottom of the hexagonal shaft 25 of the hold-down screw 17 by a
screw 19 that threads into a threaded bore 52 (shown in Figure 6B) at the
bottom
of the hexagonal shaft 25. A hexagonal bore 31 in the release lever 18 mates
with the hexagonal shaft 25 of the hold-down screw 17. It will be appreciated
that, owing to the hexagonal shape of the hold-down screw 17 shaft 25 and the
complimentary bore 31 of the release lever 18, when the extension 30 of the
release lever 18 is turned, it rotates the hold-down screw 17.
[00261 The peripheral edge 23 of the flanged head 22 of the hold-down screw
17 has a pair of diametrically-opposed projections 24. As shown in Figures 3A
and 3B, the hold-down screw projections 24 engage a locking slot 49 in an
opening 53 of the hinge mount 11. Thus, turning the release lever 18 in one
direction forces the projections 24 of the hold-down screw 17 into the locking
slot
49 and secure the hinge mount 11 to the toilet bowl.
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[0027] The system described above allows a toilet seat and lid to be removed
easily from a toilet bowl, which makes cleaning the toilet much easier. The
release lever 18 is located below the mounting post 15 and its nut 16, below
the
back lip of a conventional toilet bowl. By turning the release lever 18 in one
direction, the hold-down screw projections 24 are released from the locking
slot
49 in the hinge mount 11 and the hinge mounts 11, along with the seat 20 and
lid
21 can be lifted from the bowl. Placing the hinge mount 11 onto the flanged-
head 22 of the hold-down screw 17 and turning the release levers 18 in the
opposite direction secures the hinge mount 11 onto the bowl.
[0028] As a result, the hinge assembly according to an embodiment of the
present invention easily installs a toilet seat and allows quick release of
the toilet
seat. In addition, the toilet seat can be replaced without loosening the
mounting
screw from a bottom surface of the toilet bowl. Thus, maintenance and repair
of
a toilet seat according to an embodiment of the present invention is improved.
[0029] The hinge assembly according to an embodiment of the present
invention also enables quick release of a toilet seat. The toilet seat can be
removed without unfastening or undoing mounting bolts and nuts that are
attached to the toilet bowl.
[0030] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various
modifications
and variations can be made in the hinge assembly of embodiments of the
invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.
[0031] The drawings and description set forth here represent only some
embodiments of the invention. After considering these, skilled persons will
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understand that there are many ways to make toilet seat and lid quick release
hinge systems according to the principles disclosed. The inventor contemplates
that the use of the alternative structures, materials, or manufacturing
techniques,
which result in a toilet seat and lid quick release hinge system according to
the
principles disclosed, will be within the scope of the invention.
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