Control device for controlling the seat or the seat lid of a toilet bowl

Claim 1

A hinge mechanism for supporting a knuckle of at least one of a seat lid and a seat of a toilet bowl, said hinge mechanism comprising: a bracket adapted to be fixedly mounted on a toilet bowl; a stationary shaft having one end fixedly supported on the bracket, and extended in a horizontal position; a rotary drum having one closed end and an outer circumference, a securing projection on the outer circumference of the rotary drum, the rotary drum being axially slidably and rotatably mounted on the stationary shaft, and holding the knuckle so as to be turned when the at least one of the seat lid and the seat is turned; a fluid damping mechanism having at least two valves and being connected between the stationary shaft and the rotary drum, the rotary drum having an inner flange with a side surface and the rotary drum defining a cylindrical chamber for receiving a fluid, each of the valves comprising: a first valve ridge and a second valve ridge, the valve ridges being connected to and extending radially from the stationary shaft into the cylindrical chamber and sliding over the side surface of the rotary drum with rotation of the rotary drum with respect to the stationary shaft; each valve having an axial groove between the first valve ridge and the second valve ridge; each second valve ridge having an axial slot therethrough; each first valve ridge having on outer edge with a recess therein; a valve element mounted for movement in each axial groove, between a closing position against the second valve ridge for closing the axial slot, and an open position spaced from the second valve ridge for opening the axial slot for passage of fluid in the chamber; and an arcuate groove adjacent the first and second valve ridges of each valve, each arcuate groove being in the side surface of the inner flange; and a compression spring wound around the stationary shaft and compressed in an annular space between the stationary shaft and the rotary drum to bias the rotary drum in one direction so that the valve ridges are pressed against the side surface of the inner flange of the rotary drum: the rotary drum being movable in an opposite direction for allowing passage of fluid in the chamber along each arcuate groove.