Mechanism for opening and closing toilet seat and cover

Claim 2

Apparatus for controlling pivotal movement of a pivotal member on a water closet comprising casing means mounted on said water closet, a rotor means rotatably mounted in said casing means, viscous material means interposed between said rotor means and said casing means providing relative rotational resistance between said rotor means and said casing means, a joint means coaxial with said rotor means, spring clutch means operably disposed between said rotor means and said joint means and operable to drive said rotor means in one direction when said joint means is rotated in one direction while permitting said joint means to rotate in an opposite direction without driving said rotor means in said opposite direction, shaft means connected to said pivotal member, said shaft means being coaxial with said joint means, and interplay means interposed between said shaft means and said joint means operable to permit said shaft means to rotate an angular amount in said one direction without driving said joint means and operable such that when said shaft means continues to rotate further beyond said angular amount in said one direction, said shaft means drives said joint means, whereby said pivot member attached to said shaft means is freely rotatable in said one direction said angular amount and thence further rotatable in said one direction to a closed position while being restrained by said viscous material means, said pivot member being rotatable in said opposite direction from said closed position to an open position without being restrained by said viscous material means.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said casing means has an outer cylindrical wall portion and an inner cylindrical wall portion spaced from said outer cylindrical wall portion to define a first annular space therebetween, said rotor means having an outer cylindrical wall section and an inner cylindrical wall section spaced from said outer wall section to define a second annular space therebetween, said inner wall portion of said casing means being disposed in said second annular space, said outer cylindrical section of said rotor means being disposed in said first annular space, said viscous material means being disposed in said first and second annular spaces between said inner and outer cylindrical wall portions and between said inner and outer cylindrical wall sections.

Claim 4

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said outer and inner cylindrical wall portions and said outer and inner cylindrical wall sections are coaxial with said rotor means.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said casing means has a longitudinal end wall, said outer and inner cylindrical wall portions extending integrally from said end wall, said rotor means having a longitudinal end wall spaced from said end wall of said casing means, said outer and inner cylindrical wall sections extending integrally from said end wall of said rotor means.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said rotor means has rotatable support means for rotatably supporting said joint means.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said rotor means has an axis of rotation and said spring clutch means comprises a coil spring coaxial with said axis of rotation.

Claim 8

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said interplay comprises an opening in said joint means and a section of said shaft means disposed in said opening, said opening having a first pair of opposed parallel flat sides and a second pair of opposed parallel flat sides, said shaft section having opposed parallel flat faces, said shaft means being freely rotatable in said opening between one position wherein said first pair of flat sides of said opening engages first parts of each flat face of said shaft and another position wherein said second pair of flat sides of said opening engage second parts of each flat face of said shaft.

Claim 9

Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said first pair of flat sides are joined to said second pair of flat sides along diametrically opposed juncture lines.

Claim 10

Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein one of said flat sides of said first pair and one of said flat sides of said second pair are connected to one another at one of said lines of juncture with a generally V-shaped configuration.

Claim 11

Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said first pair of flat sides is angularly spaced from said second pair of flat sides by said angular amount.

Claim 12

Apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising constraining means on said casing means operable to engage said shaft means and hold said pivotal member in an erect position corresponding to said open position.

Claim 13

Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said shaft means has a shaft portion having a peripheral surface formed with juxtaposed linear and curved portions, said constraining means comprising biasing means biased into contact with said peripheral surface.

Claim 14

Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said biasing means comprises pivotal locking levers and springs biasing said locking levers into biasing contact with said peripheral surface.

Claim 15

Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said biasing means comprises a locking arm having a ring portion and arm portions integrally formed with said ring portion, said arm portions being flexibly movable relative to said ring portion, said ring portion being in biasing contact with said peripheral surface.

Claim 16

Apparatus according to claim 11 further comprising attachment means for detachably attaching said constraining means to said casing means.

Claim 17

Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said constraining means comprises an annular locking cap coaxial with said rotor means, and hook and claw means attaching said locking annular cap to said casing means.

Claim 18

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said pivotal member is a seat for said water closet.

Claim 19

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said pivotal member is a cover for said water closet.

Claim 20

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said viscous material means comprises grease having a viscosity which functions as a resistance against relative rotation between said rotor means and said casing means.

Claim 21

Apparatus for controlling pivotal movement of a pivotal member on a water closet comprising casing means mounted on said water closet, a rotor means rotatably mounted in said casing means, said casing means having an outer cylindrical wall portion and an inner cylindrical wall portion spaced from said outer cylindrical wall portion to define a first annular space therebetween, said rotor means having an outer cylindrical wall section and an inner cylindrical wall section spaced from said outer wall section to define a second annular space therebetween, said inner wall portion of said casing means being disposed in said second annular space, said outer cylindrical section of said rotor means being disposed in said first annular space, viscous material means disposed in said first and second annular spaces between said inner and outer cylindrical wall portions and between said inner and outer cylindrical wall sections providing relative rotational resistance between said rotor means and said casing means, a joint means coaxial with said rotor means, clutch means operably disposed between said rotor means and said joint means and operable to drive said rotor means in one direction when said joint means is rotated in one direction while permitting said joint means to rotate in an opposite direction without driving said rotor means in said opposite direction, shaft means connected to said pivotal member, said shaft means being coaxial with said joint means, and interplay means interposed between said shaft means and said joint means operable to permit said shaft means to rotate an angular amount in said one direction without driving said joint means and operable such that when said shaft means continues to rotate further beyond said angular amount in said one direction, said shaft means drives said joint means, whereby said pivot member attached to said shaft means is freely rotatable in said one direction said angular amount and thence further rotatable in said one direction to a closed position while being restrained by said viscous material means, said pivot member being rotatable in said opposite direction from said closed position to an open position without being restrained by said viscous material means.

Claim 22

Apparatus for controlling pivotal movement of a pivotal member on a water closet comprising casing means mounted on said water closet, a rotor means rotatably mounted in said casing means, said casing means having an outer cylindrical wall portion and an inner cylindrical wall portion spaced from said outer cylindrical wall portion to define a first annular space therebetween, said rotor means having an outer cylindrical wall section and an inner cylindrical wall section spaced from said outer wall section to define a second annular space therebetween, said inner wall portion of said casing means being disposed in said second annular space, said outer cylindrical section of said rotor means being disposed in said first annular space, viscous material means disposed in said first and second annular spaces between said inner and outer cylindrical wall portions and between said inner and outer cylindrical wall sections providing relative rotational resistance between said rotor means and said casing means, a joint means coaxial with said rotor means, clutch means operably disposed between said rotor means and said joint means and operable to drive said rotor means in one direction when said joint means is rotated in one direction while permitting said joint means to rotate in an opposite direction without driving said rotor means in said opposite direction, shaft means connected to said pivotal member, said shaft means being coaxial with said joint means, and interplay means interposed between said shaft means and said joint means operable to permit said shaft means to rotate an angular amount in said one direction without driving said joint means and operable such that when said shaft means continues to rotate further beyond said angular amount in said one direction, said shaft means drives said joint means, whereby said pivot member attached to said shaft means is freely rotatable in said one direction said angular amount and thence further rotatable in said one direction to a closed position while being restrained by said viscous material means, said pivot member being rotatable in said opposite direction from said closed position to an open position without being restrained by said viscous material means.

Claim 23

Apparatus for controlling pivotal movement of a pivotal seat and a pivotal cover on a water closet comprising first casing means mounted on said water closet, a first rotor means rotatably mounted in said first casing means, first viscous material means interposed between said first rotor means and said first casing means providing relative rotational resistance between said first rotor means and said first casing means, a first joint means coaxial with said first rotor means, first spring clutch means operably disposed between said first rotor means and said first joint means and operable to drive said first rotor means in one direction when said first joint means is rotated in one direction while permitting said first joint means to rotate in an opposite direction without driving said first rotor means in said opposite direction, first shaft means connected to said seat, said first shaft means being coaxial with said first joint means, first interplay means interposed between said first shaft means and said first joint means operable to permit said first shaft means to rotate a first angular amount in said one direction without driving said first joint means and operable such that when said first shaft means continues to rotate beyond said first angular amount in said one direction, said first shaft means drives said first joint means, whereby said seat is freely rotatable in said one direction said first angular amount and thence further rotatable in said one direction to a seat closed position while being restrained by said first viscous material means, said seat being rotatable in said opposite direction from said seat closed position to a seat open position without being restrained by said first viscous material, a second casing means mounted on said water closet, a second rotor means rotatably mounted in said second casing means, second viscous material means interposed between said second rotor means and said second casing means providing relative rotational resistance between said second rotor means and said second casing means, second joint means coaxial with said second rotor means, second spring clutch means operably disposed between said second rotor means and said second joint means and operable to drive said second rotor means in said one direction when said second joint means is rotated in said one direction while permitting said second joint means to rotate in said opposite direction without driving said second rotor means in said opposite direction, second shaft means connected to said second pivotal member, said second shaft means being coaxial with said second joint means, and second interplay means interposed between said second shaft means and said second joint means operable to permit said second shaft means to rotate a second angular amount in said one direction without driving said second joint means and operable such that when said second shaft means continues to rotate beyond said second angular amount in said one direction, said second shaft means drives said second joint means, whereby said cover is freely rotatable in said one direction said second angular amount and thence further rotatable in said one direction to a cover closed position while being restrained by said second viscous material means, said cover being rotatable in said opposite direction from said cover closed position to a cover open position without being restrained by said second viscous material means.

Claim 24

Apparatus for controlling pivotal movement of a pivotal seat and a pivotal cover on a water closet comprising first casing means mounted on said water closet, a first rotor means rotatably mounted in said first casing means, first viscous material means interposed between said first rotor means and said first casing means providing relative rotational resistance between said first rotor means and said first casing means, a first joint means coaxial with said first rotor means, first spring clutch means operably disposed between said first rotor means and said first joint means and operable to drive said first rotor means in one direction when said first joint means is rotated in one direction while permitting said first joint means to rotate in an opposite direction without driving said first rotor means in said opposite direction, first shaft means connected to said seat, said first shaft means being coaxial with said first joint means, first interplay means interposed between said first shaft means and said first joint means operable to permit said first shaft means to rotate a first angular amount in said one direction without driving said first joint means and operable such that when said first shaft means continues to rotate beyond said first angular amount in said one direction, said first shaft means drives said first joint means, whereby said seat is freely rotatable in said one direction said first angular amount and thence further rotatable in said one direction to a seat closed position while being restrained by said first viscous material means, said seat being rotatable in said opposite direction from said seat closed position to a seat open position without being restrained by said first viscous material, a second casing means mounted on said water closet, a second rotor means rotatably mounted in said second casing means, second viscous material means interposed between said second rotor means and said second casing means providing relative rotational resistance between said second rotor means and said second casing means, second joint means coaxial with said second rotor means, second spring clutch means operably disposed between said second rotor means and said second joint means and operable to drive said second rotor means in said one direction when said second joint means is rotated in said one direction while permitting said second joint means to rotate in said opposite direction without driving said second rotor means in said opposite direction, second shaft means connected to said second pivotal member, said second shaft means being coaxial with said second joint means, and second interplay means interposed between said second shaft means and said second joint means operable to permit said second shaft means to rotate a second angular amount in said one direction without driving said second joint means and operable such that when said second shaft means continues to rotate beyond said second angular amount in said one direction, said second shaft means drives said second joint means, whereby said cover is freely rotatable in said one direction said second angular amount and thence further rotatable in said one direction to a cover closed position while being restrained by said second viscous material means, said cover being rotatable in said opposite direction from said cover closed position to a cover open position without being restrained by said second viscous material means.

Claim 25

Apparatus according to claim 21 wherein said first casing means is axially spaced from said second casing means.

Claim 26

Apparatus according to claim 21 further comprising first mount means rotatably mounting said cover on said first shaft means, and second mount means rotatably mounting said seat on said second shaft means.