Quick change hinge assembly

Claim 2

A quick change hinge assembly comprising: mounting bracket means securable to a fixture, said bracket means having a first and second boss, each with opposite sides; first and second circular pins mounted to said bracket means and defining a single axis, said pins having rounded bearing surfaces, said first and second pins being respectively mounted to and extending through said sides of said first boss and said sides of said second boss; a first member removably and pivotally mounted to said pins about said axis, said first member having a first pair of sockets positioned outwardly of said first and second bosses with said pins projecting therein, said sockets having side walls contacting said bearing surfaces, said sockets having pin entry slots each opening through said side walls, said member having first and second recesses receiving said first and second bosses with said first and second recesses having vertical walls with said sockets located thereon, said first member having an elongated planar portion extending away from said bracket means, said first member being a toilet seat lid; a second member extending between said bosses and having walls with a second pair of sockets positioned inwardly of said first and second bosses and receiving said pins and having pin entry slots, said second member having an elongated planar portion extending away from said bracket means, said second member being a toilet seat ring; and wherein: said pins each have a thickness greater than the width of each of the slots where said slots open into said sockets; said pin entry slots of said first member open in the same direction and are aligned with said pin entry slots of said second member whenever said elongated portion of said first member and said elongated portion of said second member extend outwardly from said bracket means in the same direction, each of said bearing surfaces are cylindrical and are interrupted each by a separate elongated transverse groove, each groove being a completely radially formed concave surface subtending a central angle of approximately 90* with said angle being defined and included between opposite intersecting outermost tangent lines of said concave surface a providing a crescent shaped pin cross section.

Claim 3

The hinge assembly of claim 1 wherein: said concave surface is continuously smooth and curving without flat portions; said second member has a pair of curved lips extending upwardly around said first and second boss; and, said first and second bosses are integrally interconnected.

Claim 4

A quick change hinge assembly comprising: a pair of horizontally spaced upstanding mounting bosses, each having laterally extending first sockets with entry slots having widths; a first member with a pair of recesses, each receiving one of said bosses, said first member being a toilet seat ring; a pair of inner pins each extending completely across one of said recesses and through one of said sockets with each pin having two ends with each of said two ends fixedly mounted directly to said member; a pair of outer pins cantileveredly mounted to said member and projecting outwardly on either side of said member; and, a second member having laterally extending second socketS receiving and pivotally mounted on said outer pins, said second sockets having entry slots, said second member being a toilet seat lid, said outer pins and said inner pins having a single longitudinal axis, said outer pins and said inner pins having bearing surfaces, each of said bearing surfaces being cylindrical and each by a separate elongated transverse groove, each groove being a completely radially formed concave surface subtending a central angle of approximately 90* with said angle being defined and included between opposite intersecting outermost tangent lines of said concave surface providing a crescent shaped pin cross section.

Claim 5

A quick change hinge assembly comprising: a pair of horizontally spaced upstanding mounting bosses, each having laterally extending first sockets with entry slots having widths; a first member with a pair of recesses, each receiving one of said bosses, said first member being a toilet seat ring; a pair of inner pins each extending completely across one of said recesses and through one of said sockets with each pin having two ends with each of said two ends fixedly mounted directly to said member; a pair of outer pins cantileveredly mounted to said member and projecting outwardly on either side of said member; and, a second member having laterally extending second socketS receiving and pivotally mounted on said outer pins, said second sockets having entry slots, said second member being a toilet seat lid, said outer pins and said inner pins having a single longitudinal axis, said outer pins and said inner pins having bearing surfaces, each of said bearing surfaces being cylindrical and each by a separate elongated transverse groove, each groove being a completely radially formed concave surface subtending a central angle of approximately 90* with said angle being defined and included between opposite intersecting outermost tangent lines of said concave surface providing a crescent shaped pin cross section.

Claim 6

The hinge assembly of claim 3 wherein: said first member has an extension concealingly receiving said bosses; and, said second member has a portion concealingly receiving said extension when said second member rests atop said first member.

Claim 7

The hinge assembly of claim 4 wherein: said concave surface of said inner pins are angularly positioned approximately 90* with respect to said concave surface of said outer pins; and, said bosses are integrally interconnected.

Claim 8

A quick change hinge assembly comprising: a pair of horizontally spaced upstanding mounting bosses having laterally extending sockets, each with an entry slot having width; a first member with an extension positioned between said bosses, said first member being a toilet seat ring; a second member with a pair of flanges spaced apart outwardly of said bosses, said second member being a toilet seat lid; outwardly extending pins cantileveredly mounted to said extension and extending only partially through said sockets; and, inwardly extending pins cantileveredly mounted to said flanges and extending only partially through said sockets, said outwardly extending pins and said inwardly extending pins having a single longitudinal axis with all of said pins having bearing surfaces, each of said bearing surfaces being cylindrical and being interrupted each by a separate elongated transverse groove, each groove being a completely radially formed concave surface subtending a central angle of approximately 90* with said angle being defined and included between opposite intersecting outermost tangent lines of said concave surface a providing a crescent shaped pin cross section.

Claim 9

A quick change hinge assembly comprising: a pair of horizontally spaced upstanding mounting bosses having laterally extending sockets, each with an entry slot having width; a first member with an extension positioned between said bosses, said first member being a toilet seat ring; a second member with a pair of flanges spaced apart outwardly of said bosses, said second member being a toilet seat lid; outwardly extending pins cantileveredly mounted to said extension and extending only partially through said sockets; and, inwardly extending pins cantileveredly mounted to said flanges and extending only partially through said sockets, said outwardly extending pins and said inwardly extending pins having a single longitudinal axis with all of said pins having bearing surfaces, each of said bearing surfaces being cylindrical and being interrupted each by a separate elongated transverse groove, each groove being a completely radially formed concave surface subtending a central angle of approximately 90* with said angle being defined and included between opposite intersecting outermost tangent lines of said concave surface a providing a crescent shaped pin cross section.

Claim 10

The hinge assembly of claim 6 wherein: all of said concave surfaces are aligned whenever said second member rests atop said first member; said slots open upwardly; and, said bosses are integrally interconnected.

Claim 11

The hinge assembly of claim 7 wherein: all of said pins have substantially cylindrical surfaces contacting the cylindrical surfaces of said sockets, said concave surfaces extending laterally with the lengths of said pins.

Claim 12

A hinge assembly comprising: first and second members; first pin means fixed to said first member; socket means in said second member and receiving said pin means, said second member being a toilet seat ring, said pin means and said socket means having mating substantially cylindrical surfaces for pivoting said members on each other about an axis, the cylindrical surface of said socket means being interrupted by a slot extending radially outward from said surface; and wherein: the cylindrical surface of said pin means being interrupted by an elongated groove having a length coextensive with the portion of said pin means received in said slot, said groove being continuously smooth without flat portions; the chord of said cylindrical surface of said socket means at said slot, and the chord of said cylindrical surface of said pin means at said groove, being such as to accommodate removal of said pin means from said socket means in a direction transverse to the direction of said axis beginning in only two relative rotational positions of said members; a toilet seat lid mounted to said first member; said first member being a post secuRable to a toilet bowl; the combination further comprising: additional pin means in said post; stop means limiting relative rotation between said members and precluding attainment of one of said two relative rotational positions; said toilet seat lid having socket means receiving said additional pin means; the socket means of said lid, and said additional pin means, having mating substantially cylindrical surfaces for pivoting said lid about a second axis the cylindrical surface of the socket means of said lid being interrupted by a slot extending radially outward from said surface; the cylindrical surface of said additional pin means being interrupted by an elongated groove having a length coextensive with the portion of said additional pin means received in said slot of said lid socket means; the chord across said cylindrical surface of said lid socket means at said slot therein, and the chord across said cylindrical surface of said additional pin means at said groove being such as to accommodate removal of said lid from said post in a direction transverse to said axis, beginning removal in only two relative rotational positions of said lid and said post; and stop means having a fixed location with respect to said post and engageable by said lid to preclude attainment of one of said two relative rotational positions of said lid with respect to said post; said first pin means being a pair of inwardly extending pins having a said axis and their common axis, said additional pin means being a pair of outwardly extending pins having said axis as their common axis each groove being a completely radially formed concave surface subtending a central angle of approximately 90* with said angle being defined and included between opposite intersecting outermost tangent lines of said concave surface providing a crescent shaped pin cross section.

Claim 13

A hinge assembly comprising: first and second members; first pin means fixed to said first member; socket means in said second member and receiving said pin means, said second member being a toilet seat ring, said pin means and said socket means having mating substantially cylindrical surfaces for pivoting said members on each other about an axis, the cylindrical surface of said socket means being interrupted by a slot extending radially outward from said surface; and wherein: the cylindrical surface of said pin means being interrupted by an elongated groove having a length coextensive with the portion of said pin means received in said slot, said groove being continuously smooth without flat portions; the chord of said cylindrical surface of said socket means at said slot, and the chord of said cylindrical surface of said pin means at said groove, being such as to accommodate removal of said pin means from said socket means in a direction transverse to the direction of said axis beginning in only two relative rotational positions of said members; a toilet seat lid mounted to said first member; said first member being a post secuRable to a toilet bowl; the combination further comprising: additional pin means in said post; stop means limiting relative rotation between said members and precluding attainment of one of said two relative rotational positions; said toilet seat lid having socket means receiving said additional pin means; the socket means of said lid, and said additional pin means, having mating substantially cylindrical surfaces for pivoting said lid about a second axis the cylindrical surface of the socket means of said lid being interrupted by a slot extending radially outward from said surface; the cylindrical surface of said additional pin means being interrupted by an elongated groove having a length coextensive with the portion of said additional pin means received in said slot of said lid socket means; the chord across said cylindrical surface of said lid socket means at said slot therein, and the chord across said cylindrical surface of said additional pin means at said groove being such as to accommodate removal of said lid from said post in a direction transverse to said axis, beginning removal in only two relative rotational positions of said lid and said post; and stop means having a fixed location with respect to said post and engageable by said lid to preclude attainment of one of said two relative rotational positions of said lid with respect to said post; said first pin means being a pair of inwardly extending pins having a said axis and their common axis, said additional pin means being a pair of outwardly extending pins having said axis as their common axis each groove being a completely radially formed concave surface subtending a central angle of approximately 90* with said angle being defined and included between opposite intersecting outermost tangent lines of said concave surface providing a crescent shaped pin cross section.

Claim 14

A hinge assembly comprising: first and second members; first pin means fixed to said first member; socket means in said second member and receiving said pin means, said pin means and said socket means having mating substantialy cylindrical surfaces for pivoting said members on each other about an axis, the cylindrical surface of said socket means being interrupted by a slot extending radially outward from said surface; and the cylindrical surface of said pin means being interrupted by an elongated groove having a length coextensive with the portion of said pin means received in said slot, said groove being continuously smooth without flat portions; the chord of said cylindrical surface of said socket means at said slot, and the chord of said cylindrical surface of said pin means at said groove, being such as to accommodate removal of said pin means from said socket means in a direction transverse to the direction of said axis beginning in only two relative rotational positions of said members; a toilet seat lid mounted to said first member; stop means limiting relative rotation between said members and precluding attainment of one of said two relative rotational positions; said first member being a toilet seat ring; said second member being a post securable to a toilet bowl; additional pin means in said ring; said toilet seat lid having socket means receiving said additional pin means; the socket means of said lid and said additional pin means having mating substantially cylindrical surfaces for pivoting said lid about a second axis through said post, the cylindrical surface of the socket means of said lid being interrupted by a slot extending radially outward from said surface; the cylindrical surface of said additional pin means being interrupted by an elongated transverse groove having a length being coextensive with the portion of said additional pin means received in said slot of said lid socket means; the chord across said cylindrical surface of said lid socket means at said slot therein, and the chord across said cylindrical surface of said additional pin means at said groove, being such as to accommodate removal of said lid from said ring in a direction transverse to said second axis beginning in only two relative rotational positions of said lid and said ring; and, the orientation of said groove in said additional pin means and said slot of said lid socket means being such as to preclude attainment of one of said two relative rotational positions of said lid with respect to said post; said additional pin means being a pair of outwardly extending pins having said second axis, said first pin means being a pair of pins having a longitudinal first axis aligned with said second axis, each groove being a radially formed concave surface subtending a central angle of approximately 90* with said angle being defined and included between opposite intersecting outermost tangent lines of said concave surface, providing a crescent shaped pin cross section.

Claim 15

A hinge assembly comprising: first and second members; first pin means fixed to said first member; socket means in said second member and receiving said pin means, said pin means and said socket means having mating substantialy cylindrical surfaces for pivoting said members on each other about an axis, the cylindrical surface of said socket means being interrupted by a slot extending radially outward from said surface; and the cylindrical surface of said pin means being interrupted by an elongated groove having a length coextensive with the portion of said pin means received in said slot, said groove being continuously smooth without flat portions; the chord of said cylindrical surface of said socket means at said slot, and the chord of said cylindrical surface of said pin means at said groove, being such as to accommodate removal of said pin means from said socket means in a direction transverse to the direction of said axis beginning in only two relative rotational positions of said members; a toilet seat lid mounted to said first member; stop means limiting relative rotation between said members and precluding attainment of one of said two relative rotational positions; said first member being a toilet seat ring; said second member being a post securable to a toilet bowl; additional pin means in said ring; said toilet seat lid having socket means receiving said additional pin means; the socket means of said lid and said additional pin means having mating substantially cylindrical surfaces for pivoting said lid about a second axis through said post, the cylindrical surface of the socket means of said lid being interrupted by a slot extending radially outward from said surface; the cylindrical surface of said additional pin means being interrupted by an elongated transverse groove having a length being coextensive with the portion of said additional pin means received in said slot of said lid socket means; the chord across said cylindrical surface of said lid socket means at said slot therein, and the chord across said cylindrical surface of said additional pin means at said groove, being such as to accommodate removal of said lid from said ring in a direction transverse to said second axis beginning in only two relative rotational positions of said lid and said ring; and, the orientation of said groove in said additional pin means and said slot of said lid socket means being such as to preclude attainment of one of said two relative rotational positions of said lid with respect to said post; said additional pin means being a pair of outwardly extending pins having said second axis, said first pin means being a pair of pins having a longitudinal first axis aligned with said second axis, each groove being a radially formed concave surface subtending a central angle of approximately 90* with said angle being defined and included between opposite intersecting outermost tangent lines of said concave surface, providing a crescent shaped pin cross section.

Claim 16

A hinge assembly comprising: first and second members; first pin means fixed to said first member; socket means in said second member and receiving said pin means, said pin means and said socket means having mating substantially cylindrical surfaces for pivoting said members on each other about an axis, the cylindrical surface of said socket means being interrupted by a slot extending radially outward from said surface; and the cylindrical surface of said pin means being interrupted by an elongated transverse groove having a length coextensive with the portion of said pin means received in said slot, said groove being continuously smooth without flat portions; the chord of said cylindrical surface of said socket means at said slot, and the chord of said cylindrical surface of said pin means at said groove, being such as to accommodate removal of said pin means from said socket means in a direction transverse to the direction of said axis beginning in only two relative rotational positions of said members; a toilet seat lid mounted to said first member; said first member is a toilet seat ring; said second member is a post securable to a toilet bowl; the combination further comprising: stop means limiting relative rotation between said members and precluding attainment of one of said two relative rotational positions; additional pin means in said lid and received in said socket means, said additional pin means extend toward and are coaxially aligned with said pin means fixed to said first member; said additional pin means having a substantially cylindrical surface mating with the cylindrical surface of said socket means for pivoting said lid about said post, the cylindrical surface of said additional pin means being interrupted by an elongated transverse groove coextensive with the portion of said additional pin means received in said slot of said socket means; the chord across said cylindrical surface of said socket means at said slot therein, and the chord across said cylindrical surface of said additional pin means at said groove being such as to accommodate removal of said lid from said post in a direction transverse to said axis beginning in only two relative rotational positions of said lid and said post, the position and orientation of the slot of said socket means in said post, and the groove in said additional pin means being such as to preclude attainment of one of said two relative rotation positions of said lid with respect to said post; said first pin means being a pair of pins projecting outwardly toward and aligned with said additional pin means which are a pair of inwardly projecting pins, each groove being a completely radially formed concave surface subtending a central angle of approximately 90* with said angle being defined and included between opposite intersecting outermost tangent lines of said concave surface providing a crescent shaped pin cross section.

Claim 17

A hinge assembly comprising: first and second members; first pin means fixed to said first member; socket means in said second member and receiving said pin means, said pin means and said socket means having mating substantially cylindrical surfaces for pivoting said members on each other about an axis, the cylindrical surface of said socket means being interrupted by a slot extending radially outward from said surface; and the cylindrical surface of said pin means being interrupted by an elongated transverse groove having a length coextensive with the portion of said pin means received in said slot, said groove being continuously smooth without flat portions; the chord of said cylindrical surface of said socket means at said slot, and the chord of said cylindrical surface of said pin means at said groove, being such as to accommodate removal of said pin means from said socket means in a direction transverse to the direction of said axis beginning in only two relative rotational positions of said members; a toilet seat lid mounted to said first member; said first member is a toilet seat ring; said second member is a post securable to a toilet bowl; the combination further comprising: stop means limiting relative rotation between said members and precluding attainment of one of said two relative rotational positions; additional pin means in said lid and received in said socket means, said additional pin means extend toward and are coaxially aligned with said pin means fixed to said first member; said additional pin means having a substantially cylindrical surface mating with the cylindrical surface of said socket means for pivoting said lid about said post, the cylindrical surface of said additional pin means being interrupted by an elongated transverse groove coextensive with the portion of said additional pin means received in said slot of said socket means; the chord across said cylindrical surface of said socket means at said slot therein, and the chord across said cylindrical surface of said additional pin means at said groove being such as to accommodate removal of said lid from said post in a direction transverse to said axis beginning in only two relative rotational positions of said lid and said post, the position and orientation of the slot of said socket means in said post, and the groove in said additional pin means being such as to preclude attainment of one of said two relative rotation positions of said lid with respect to said post; said first pin means being a pair of pins projecting outwardly toward and aligned with said additional pin means which are a pair of inwardly projecting pins, each groove being a completely radially formed concave surface subtending a central angle of approximately 90* with said angle being defined and included between opposite intersecting outermost tangent lines of said concave surface providing a crescent shaped pin cross section.