Toilet hinge arrangement

Claim 2

A toilet hinge comprising a hinge post fixedly connectable to a toilet to extend upwardly therefrom, a pivot hole defined by an axially horizontal cylindrical surface extending transversely through an upper portion of said hinge post to define a pivot axis, a cover hinge component including a body member with a pivot sleeve extending transversely outwardly from said body member and having an outer end matingly received in said pivot hole with a pivot opening extending axially inward from the outer end of said pivot sleeve and a cover mounting spike extending downwardly from said body member at an acute angle with respect to said pivot axis and further including a seat hinge component including a swing arm, a pivot shaft extending transversely outwardly of said swing arm and matingly received in said pivot opening of said pivot sleeve and a seat mounting spike extending outwardly from said swing arm at an acute angle with respect to said pivot axis.

Claim 3

The toilet hinge of claim 1 wherein said seat mounting spike and said cover mounting spike are oriented at a common angle with respect to said pivot axis.

Claim 4

The toilet hinge of claim 1 wherein said pivot opening extends axially through the entire length of said pivot sleeve and has an inner end termination in said body member.

Claim 5

A toilet hinge of claim 1 wherein said seat mounting spike and said cover mounting spike each include surface protrusions permitting mating insertion of said spikes in openings in a toilet seat and a toilet cover respectively but precluding removal therefrom.

Claim 6

The toilet hinge of claim 1 wherein said hinge post, said cover hinge component and said seat hinge component are formed of fiberglass reinforced polypropylene.

Claim 7

The toilet hinge of claim 5 wherein said cover mounting spike and seat mounting spike are oriented at a common angle with respect to said pivot axis.

Claim 8

The toilet hinge of claim 1 wherein said seat mounting spike and said cover mounting spike are oriented at a common angle with respect to said pivot axis and said pivot opening extends axially through the entire length of said pivot sleeve and has an inner end termination in said body member and said pivot shaft has an outer end termination positioned in said body member.

Claim 9

The toilet hinge of claim 7 wherein said seat mounting spike and said cover mounting spike each include surface protrusions permitting mating insertion of said spikes in openings in a toilet seat and a toilet cover respectively but precluding removal therefrom.

Claim 10

The toilet hinge of claim 8 wherein said hinge post, said cover hinge component and said seat hinge component are formed of fiberglass reinforced polypropylene.

Claim 11

The toilet hinge of claim 1 wherein said seat mounting spike and said cover mounting spike are oriented at a common angle with respect to said pivot axis and said seat hinge component and said cover hinge component are respectively positioned on opposite sides of said hinge post.

Claim 12

The toilet hinge of claim 10 wherein said pivot opening extends axially through the entire length of said pivot sleeve and has an inner end termination in said body member.

Claim 13

The toilet hinge of claim 10 wherein said seat mounting spike and said cover mounting spike each include surface protrusions permitting mating insertion of said spikes in openings in a toilet seat and a toilet cover respectively by precluding removal therefrom.

Claim 14

The toilet hinge of claim 10 wherein said hinge post, said cover hinge compartment and said seat hinge component are formed of fiberglass reinforced polypropylene.

Claim 15

The combination of a toilet having a medial plane, a toilet seat, a toilet seat cover, first and second hinges each comprising a hinge post fixedly connected to said toilet to extend upwardly therefrom, a pivot hole defined by an axially horizontal cylindrical surface extending transversely through an upper portion of said hinge post to define a pivot axis, a cover hinge component including a body member with a pivot sleeve extending transversely outwardly from said body member and having an outer end matingly received in said pivot hole with a pivot opening extending axially inwardly from the outer end of said pivot sleeve and a cover mounting spike extending outwardly from said body member at an acute angle with respect to said pivot axis and having an outer end embedded in a mounting bore in the toilet seat cover and further including a seat hinge component including a swing arm, a pivot shaft extending transversely outwardly of said swing arm and matingly received in said pivot opening of said pivot sleeve and a seat mounting spike extending outwardly from said swing arm at an acute angle with respect to said pivot axis and having an outer end embedded in a mounting bore in the toilet seat wherein said first and second hinges are equidistantly spaced from each other on opposite sides of said medial plane and said seat mounting spike and cover mounting spike of the hinges flare outwardly with respect to the medial plane so that their outer ends are spaced a greater distance from said medial plane than is their innermost portions.

Claim 16

The combination of a toilet having a medial plane, a toilet seat, a toilet seat cover, first and second hinges each comprising a hinge post fixedly connected to said toilet to extend upwardly therefrom, a pivot hole defined by an axially horizontal cylindrical surface extending transversely through an upper portion of said hinge post to define a pivot axis, a cover hinge component including a body member with a pivot sleeve extending transversely outwardly from said body member and having an outer end matingly received in said pivot hole with a pivot opening extending axially inwardly from the outer end of said pivot sleeve and a cover mounting spike extending outwardly from said body member at an acute angle with respect to said pivot axis and having an outer end embedded in a mounting bore in the toilet seat cover and further including a seat hinge component including a swing arm, a pivot shaft extending transversely outwardly of said swing arm and matingly received in said pivot opening of said pivot sleeve and a seat mounting spike extending outwardly from said swing arm at an acute angle with respect to said pivot axis and having an outer end embedded in a mounting bore in the toilet seat wherein said first and second hinges are equidistantly spaced from each other on opposite sides of said medial plane and said seat mounting spike and cover mounting spike of the hinges flare outwardly with respect to the medial plane so that their outer ends are spaced a greater distance from said medial plane than is their innermost portions.

Claim 17

The invention of claim 14 wherein said seat mounting spike and said cover mounting spike are oriented at a common angle with respect to said pivot axis.

Claim 18

The invention of claim 14 wherein said pivot opening extends axially through the entire length of said pivot sleeve and has an inner end termination in said body member.

Claim 19

The invention of claim 14 wherein said seat mounting spike and said cover mounting spike each include surface protrusions permitting mating insertion of said spike in said mounting openings in the toilet seat and toilet seat cover respectively but precluding removal therefrom.

Claim 20

The invention of claim 17 wherein said hinge post, said cover hinge component and said seat hinge component are formed of fiberglass reinforced polypropylene.

Claim 21

The invention of claim 14 wherein said cover hinge component and said seat hinge component of each hinge are respectively positioned on opposite sides of said hinge post.

Claim 22

A hinge component comprising a hinge post fixedly connectable to a toilet to extend upwardly therefrom, a pivot hole defined by an axially horizontal cylindrical surface extending transversely through an upper portion of said hinge post to define a pivot axis, a first hinge component including a body member with a pivot sleeve extending transversely outwardly from said body member and having an outer end matingly received in said pivot hole with a pivot opening extending axially inwardly from the outer end of said pivot sleeve, a second hinge component including a swing arm, a pivot shaft extending transversely outwardly of said swing arm and matingly received in said pivot opening of said pivot sleeve and attachment means on said first and second hinge components for permitting attachment thereof to first and second pivotal members.

Claim 23

A hinge component comprising a hinge post fixedly connectable to a toilet to extend upwardly therefrom, a pivot hole defined by an axially horizontal cylindrical surface extending transversely through an upper portion of said hinge post to define a pivot axis, a first hinge component including a body member with a pivot sleeve extending transversely outwardly from said body member and having an outer end matingly received in said pivot hole with a pivot opening extending axially inwardly from the outer end of said pivot sleeve, a second hinge component including a swing arm, a pivot shaft extending transversely outwardly of said swing arm and matingly received in said pivot opening of said pivot sleeve and attachment means on said first and second hinge components for permitting attachment thereof to first and second pivotal members.

Claim 24

The invention of claim 20 wherein said first and second hinge components are on opposite sides of said hinge post.