US2006260029A1PendingUtilityA1

Toilet seat fitting

40
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Apr 9, 2003Filed: Apr 8, 2004Published: Nov 23, 2006
Est. expiryApr 9, 2023(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Joseph Kelly
F16B 19/004F16B 21/084A47K 13/26
40
PatentIndex Score
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Cited by
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References
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Claims

Abstract

A toilet seat ( 1 ) has a pair of fittings ( 2, 3 ) for fixing the toilet seat ( 1 ) to a toilet pan ( 8 ) without the need for a nut. Each fitting has a post ( 7 ) for insertion into an aperture ( 9 ) in the toilet pan ( 8 ). The posts ( 7 ) have a central rod ( 13 ) and a plurality of annular engagement members ( 14 ) which protrude sideways relative to the direction of insertion A into the aperture ( 9 ) and are resiliently deflectable rearwardly so as to frictionally engage the inner circumferential surface ( 15 ) of the aperture ( 9 ). The engagement members ( 14 ) provide the greater frictional force in the direction opposite to the direction of insertion A than against movement in the direction of insertion A. The post ( 7 ) protrude from a head ( 6 ) which engages the toilet pan ( 8 ) around the aperture ( 9 ).

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A fitting for fixing a toilet seat to a toilet pan, the fitting comprising a post for insertion into an aperture in the toilet pan, the outer portion of the post being formed of a resilient material arranged to frictionally engage the inner circumferential surface of the aperture.  
   
   
       2 . A fitting according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer portion of the post is formed of material having a Shore hardness in the range from 20 A to 70 A.  
   
   
       3 . A fitting according to  claim 2 , wherein the outer portion of the post is formed of material having a Shore hardness of at least 30 A.  
   
   
       4 . A fitting according to  claim 2 , wherein the outer portion of the post is formed of material having a Shore hardness of at most 50 A.  
   
   
       5 . A fitting according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer portion of the post extends over a distance of at least 1 2 mm.  
   
   
       6 . A fitting according to  claim 5 , wherein the outer portion of the post extends over a distance of at least 18 mm.  
   
   
       7 . A fitting according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer portion of the post comprises a plurality of engagement members protruding sideways relative to the direction of insertion into the aperture in the toilet pan.  
   
   
       8 . A fitting according to  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of engagement members consist of at least three engagement members spaced along the post.  
   
   
       9 . A fitting according to  claim 8 , wherein the engagement members are spaced over a distance of at least 12 mm.  
   
   
       10 . A fitting according to  claim 8 , wherein the engagement members are spaced over a distance of at least 18 mm.  
   
   
       11 . A fitting according to  claim 7 , wherein adjacent engagement members have a pitch of at most 10 mm.  
   
   
       12 . A fitting according to  claim 7 , wherein the engagement members are arranged to provide a greater frictional force against movement in a direction opposite to the direction of insertion than against movement in the direction of insertion.  
   
   
       13 . A fitting according to  claim 7 , wherein the engagement members have a front surface which is inclined rearwardly.  
   
   
       14 . A fitting according to  claim 7 , wherein the engagement members have an outer surface which extends parallel to the direction of insertion for frictionally engaging the inner circumferential surface of the aperture.  
   
   
       15 . A fitting according to  claim 7 , wherein the engagement members have a thickness at their outer edge in the direction of insertion of at least 1 mm.  
   
   
       16 . A fitting according to  claim 7 , wherein post comprises a central rod and the engagement members protrude outwardly from the rod.  
   
   
       17 . A fitting according to  claim 16 , wherein the rod is made of a material which is more rigid than the engagement members.  
   
   
       18 . A fitting according to  claim 16 , wherein the rod is made of polypropylene.  
   
   
       19 . A fitting according to  claim 17 , wherein the engagement members extend around the post.  
   
   
       20 . A fitting according to  claim 19 , wherein the engagement members extend continuously around the post.  
   
   
       21 . A fitting according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer portion of the post is formed from a thermoplastic elastomer.  
   
   
       22 . A fitting according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer diameter of the post is at least 15 mm.  
   
   
       23 . A fitting according to  claim 1 , further comprising a head from which the post extends, the head extending further than the post sideways relative to the direction of insertion of the post for engaging the toilet pan around the aperture.  
   
   
       24 . A fitting according to  claim 23 , wherein the head has a resilient sucker facing the direction of insertion for engaging the surface of the toilet pan in which the aperture is formed.  
   
   
       25 . A fitting according to  claim 1 , further comprising a hinge portion for pivotally coupling the fixing to an annular seat member of a toilet seat.  
   
   
       26 . A toilet seat comprising an annular seat member pivotally coupled to a pair of toilet seat fixings each in accordance with  claim 1 .  
   
   
       27 . A toilet seat according to  claim 26 , in combination with a said toilet pan having a pair of said apertures.

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