Patent US5222260A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5222260A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Toilet cover closure device
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1991-07-01
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Granted: 1993-06-29
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Expires: 2011-07-01
Abstract
Abstract Disclosed is a toilet seat cover closure device responsive to the flow of water in a toilet tank during a flushing operation to operate a push pin to urge the cover from a substantially vertical position to a horizontal position over a toilet seat on a toilet bowl. In a first embodiment the push pin is operated by a bowden wire in response to the pressure of water filling the water tank. In a second embodiment the push pin is operated by a cable arrangement responsive to the lowering of the water in the toilet tank during the first part of the flushing operation. With both embodiments a dampening mechanism is provided to control the rate of descent of the cover, comprising a spring-biased cam element cooperating with cam faces on the cover pivot shaft connected to move with said cover. Also disclosed are quick release fasteners involving deformable elastic members which lock or release the toilet seat and the toilet seat cover to or from the toilet bowl without the need for tools, whereby the toilet seat and toilet cover may be quickly and easily removed for cleaning or replacement.
Inventors
- 👤 Dean E. Piper
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 21:26
CPC Classifications
E; E03; E03D; E03D5/00; E03D5/02; E03D5/04; A; A47; A47K; A47K13/00; A47K13/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
359 words
A toilet cover closure device comprising: a toilet cover pivotally mounted on a toilet bowl by fastening means to enable said cover to selectively assume a horizontal position and a substantially vertical position; dampening means to control the descent of said cover from a substantially vertical position to a horizontal position, said dampening means being connected to said fastening means, said dampening means comprising; a toilet cover pivot shaft connected to said toilet cover and rotatable in a pair of bearings; a left cylinder means and a right cylinder means suitably attached to said fastening means for housing respectively; said pair of bearings, a slidable left face cam element, a slidable right face cam element, left and right spring means for urging said slidable face cam elements toward said pivot shaft, and left and right adjusting screw means for biassing said left and right spring means against said slidable face cam elements; said toilet cover pivot shaft having a left and right ends configured as face cams for co-acting with corresponding said slidable left and right face cam elements; a water tank connected to a water inlet source and to said toilet bowl to provide a source of water to flush said toilet bowl, said water tank containing a water inlet valve controlled by a float, a plunger connected to a flush handle by a lever and a rod for controlling the release of the water from the tank to the toilet bowl; and a toilet cover closure means mounted on said water tank responsive to the flow of water in the water tank during a flushing operation for urging said toilet cover from the substantially vertical position towards the horizontal position; whereby during a flushing operation a toilet cover is urged from the substantially vertical position towards the horizontal position as a result of actuating said flush handle, and when said toilet cover moves from the substantially vertical position towards the horizontal position said slidable left and right face cam elements are forced outwardly against the bias of said left and right spring means, thereby controlling the rate of descent of said toilet cover towards said toilet bowl.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
359 words
A toilet cover closure device comprising: a toilet cover pivotally mounted on a toilet bowl by fastening means to enable said cover to selectively assume a horizontal position and a substantially vertical position; dampening means to control the descent of said cover from a substantially vertical position to a horizontal position, said dampening means being connected to said fastening means, said dampening means comprising; a toilet cover pivot shaft connected to said toilet cover and rotatable in a pair of bearings; a left cylinder means and a right cylinder means suitably attached to said fastening means for housing respectively; said pair of bearings, a slidable left face cam element, a slidable right face cam element, left and right spring means for urging said slidable face cam elements toward said pivot shaft, and left and right adjusting screw means for biassing said left and right spring means against said slidable face cam elements; said toilet cover pivot shaft having a left and right ends configured as face cams for co-acting with corresponding said slidable left and right face cam elements; a water tank connected to a water inlet source and to said toilet bowl to provide a source of water to flush said toilet bowl, said water tank containing a water inlet valve controlled by a float, a plunger connected to a flush handle by a lever and a rod for controlling the release of the water from the tank to the toilet bowl; and a toilet cover closure means mounted on said water tank responsive to the flow of water in the water tank during a flushing operation for urging said toilet cover from the substantially vertical position towards the horizontal position; whereby during a flushing operation a toilet cover is urged from the substantially vertical position towards the horizontal position as a result of actuating said flush handle, and when said toilet cover moves from the substantially vertical position towards the horizontal position said slidable left and right face cam elements are forced outwardly against the bias of said left and right spring means, thereby controlling the rate of descent of said toilet cover towards said toilet bowl.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
207 words
A toilet cover closure device as in claim 1, further comprising: a pipe means for connecting said water inlet valve at the top of said water tank to a water release valve unit at the bottom of said water tank; said water release valve unit including an upper release valve having a valve flap means for selectively closing said upper release valve, a lower release valve, a piston means for selectively closing said lower release valve and connected to one end of a flexible wire enclosed in a guide sheath, and a spring means for urging said piston means to a position closing said lower release valve when said water tank is filled with water; and a cover closure means for urging said toilet cover from the substantially vertical position towards the horizontal position, said cover closure means being mounted externally of said water tank and connected to a second end of said flexible wire; whereby when said flush handle is actuated, water enters said pipe means and said water release valve unit forcing said valve flap means to close said upper release valve, and forcing said piston means and flexible wire to an actuated position opening said lower release valve and activating said cover closure means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
112 words
A toilet cover closure device as in claim 2 wherein said cover closure means comprises: an enclosure; a first rod pivotally mounted at one end within said enclosure means; a second rod pivotally connected at one end to a second end of said first rod and connected at the other end to said flexible wire means; and a push pin connected to said first and second rod means; whereby when said flexible wire is moved to said actuated position said first rod and said second rod in concert with said push pin are moved toward said toilet cover to urge said toilet cover from the substantially vertical position toward the horizontal position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
250 words
A toilet cover closure device as in claim 2, said fastening means comprising: a support plate for mounting a left and right quick release means enabling quick and easy removal of said toilet cover and a toilet seat from said toilet bowl, each of said left and right quick release means including: a handle having a first and a second cam; a surface element means mounted on said support plate for cooperating with said first cam and said second cam; a rod connected to said handle at one end and having an enlarged head at the other end; said rod being slidable through an opening in said surface element means and a support washer fixed to said support plate on a side opposite to the side mounting said surface element means; and an elastic means mounted between said support washer and said enlarged head, said elastic means being cylindrical in configuration with a cylindrical opening therethrough along a longitudinal axis of said elastic means to accommodate said rod; said washer, said elastic means, and said enlarged head extending through a cylindrical opening in said toilet bowl when mounting said toilet cover on said toilet bowl; whereby when said handle is moved from a vertical release position to a horizontal lock position said elastic member is squeezed between said washer and said enlarged head, thereby forcing a cylindrical sidewall of said elastic means to bulge against a portion of said toilet bowl to lock said toilet cover onto said toilet bowl.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
157 words
A toilet cover closure device as in claim 1, further comprising: a sealed, weighted float within said water tank; a toilet cover closure means connected to said water tank by a lock screw for urging said toilet cover towards the horizontal position; a cord connected between said float and an axle at a first lower end of a first lever; a second lever pivotally connected at one end to an enclosure means for housing said toilet cover closure means and at the other end to a second end of said first lever; and a pusher pivot pin connected between said first lever and said second lever; whereby when said flush handle is actuated said weighted float is lowered with the water level in the water tank, said cord pulls on said axle to move said pusher pivot pin towards said toilet cover to urge said toilet cover from the substantially vertical position to the substantially horizontal position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
249 words
A toilet cover closure device as in claim 1, said fastening means comprising: a support plate for mounting a left and right quick release means enabling quick and easy removal of said toilet cover and a toilet seat from said toilet bowl, each of said left and right quick release means including: a handle having a first and a second cam; a surface element means mounted on said support plate for cooperating with said first cam and said second cam; a rod connected to said handle at one end and having an enlarged head at the other end; said rod being slidable through an opening in said surface element means and a support washer fixed to said support plate on a side opposite to the side mounting said surface element means; and an elastic means mounted between said support washer and said enlarged head, said elastic means being cylindrical in configuration with cylindrical opening therethrough along a longitudinal axis of said elastic means to accommodate said rod; said washer, said elastic means, and said enlarged head extending through a cylindrical opening in said toilet bowl when mounting said toilet cover on said toilet bowl; whereby when said handle is moved from a vertical release position to a horizontal lock position said elastic member is squeezed between said washer and said enlarged head, thereby forcing a cylindrical sidewall of said elastic means to bulge against a portion of said toilet bowl to lock said toilet cover onto said toilet bowl.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
187 words
A pivotal damper for a toilet cover comprising: a toilet cover pivot shaft means connected to a toilet cover for pivotally mounting said toilet cover to a toilet bowl and rotatable in a pair of bearing means, a left cylinder means and a right cylinder means suitably attached to said toilet bowl for housing respectively; said pair of bearings, a slidable left face cam element, a slidable right face cam element, left and right spring means for urging said slidable face cam elements toward said pivot shaft means, and left and right adjusting screw means for biassing said left and right spring means against said slidable face cam elements; said toilet cover pivot shaft means having a left and right ends configured as face cams for co-acting with corresponding said slidable left and right face cam elements; whereby when said toilet cover moves from the substantially vertical position towards the horizontal position said slidable left and right face cam elements are forced outwardly against the bias of said left and right spring means, thereby controlling the rate of descent of said toilet cover towards said toilet bowl.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
187 words
A pivotal damper for a toilet cover comprising: a toilet cover pivot shaft means connected to a toilet cover for pivotally mounting said toilet cover to a toilet bowl and rotatable in a pair of bearing means, a left cylinder means and a right cylinder means suitably attached to said toilet bowl for housing respectively; said pair of bearings, a slidable left face cam element, a slidable right face cam element, left and right spring means for urging said slidable face cam elements toward said pivot shaft means, and left and right adjusting screw means for biassing said left and right spring means against said slidable face cam elements; said toilet cover pivot shaft means having a left and right ends configured as face cams for co-acting with corresponding said slidable left and right face cam elements; whereby when said toilet cover moves from the substantially vertical position towards the horizontal position said slidable left and right face cam elements are forced outwardly against the bias of said left and right spring means, thereby controlling the rate of descent of said toilet cover towards said toilet bowl.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
250 words
A quick release fastening means for a toilet seat and a toilet cover comprising: a support plate for mounting a left and right quick release means enabling quick and easy removal of said toilet cover and toilet seat from a toilet bowl, each of said left and right quick release means including: a handle having a first and a second cam; a surface element means mounted on said support plate for cooperating with said first cam and said second cam; a rod connected to said handle at one end and having an enlarged head at the other end; said rod being slidable through an opening in said surface element means and a support washer fixed to said support plate on a side opposite to the side mounting said surface element means; and an elastic means mounted between said support washer and said enlarged head, said elastic means being cylindrical in configuration with a cylindrical opening therethrough along a longitudinal axis of said elastic means to accommodate said rod; said washer, said elastic means, and said enlarged head extending through a cylindrical opening in said toilet bowl when mounting said toilet cover on said toilet bowl; whereby when said handle is moved from a vertical release position to a horizontal lock position said elastic member is squeezed between said washer and said enlarged head, thereby forcing a cylindrical sidewall of said elastic means to bulge against a portion of said toilet bowl to lock said toilet cover onto said toilet bowl.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
250 words
A quick release fastening means for a toilet seat and a toilet cover comprising: a support plate for mounting a left and right quick release means enabling quick and easy removal of said toilet cover and toilet seat from a toilet bowl, each of said left and right quick release means including: a handle having a first and a second cam; a surface element means mounted on said support plate for cooperating with said first cam and said second cam; a rod connected to said handle at one end and having an enlarged head at the other end; said rod being slidable through an opening in said surface element means and a support washer fixed to said support plate on a side opposite to the side mounting said surface element means; and an elastic means mounted between said support washer and said enlarged head, said elastic means being cylindrical in configuration with a cylindrical opening therethrough along a longitudinal axis of said elastic means to accommodate said rod; said washer, said elastic means, and said enlarged head extending through a cylindrical opening in said toilet bowl when mounting said toilet cover on said toilet bowl; whereby when said handle is moved from a vertical release position to a horizontal lock position said elastic member is squeezed between said washer and said enlarged head, thereby forcing a cylindrical sidewall of said elastic means to bulge against a portion of said toilet bowl to lock said toilet cover onto said toilet bowl.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-06-28 | 1996-12-28 | 1997-06-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-06-28 | 2000-12-28 | 2001-06-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-06-28 | 2004-12-28 | 2005-06-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |